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Copyright N 


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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 


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THE 

TOWNSEND TWINS 

CAMP DIRECTORS 




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Landing at the camp 




THE 

TOWNSEND TWINS 

CAMP DIRECTORS 


BY 

WARREN L. ELDRED 


Illustrated by 
C. M. BE LYE A 



NEW YORK 
THE CENTURY CO. 
1913 


To 


Copyright, 1912, 1913, by 
The Century Co. 


Published, \ September , 1913 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

i The Ball Is Started Rolling .... 3 

ii The Ball Still Rolls 17 

hi Concerning Cousin Willie and Others . 41 

iv The Excitement of a Presidential Cam- 

paign 59 

v Halsey Discovers the Camp Trust . . 82 

vi The Tenth Camper 105 

vn The Exodus 117 

vm Setting Up Housekeeping 139 

ix “Hoist the Flag! The Girls are Com- 

ing !” 170 

x An Inhabitant of Ivy-Clad Ruins . . . 183 

xi Around the Camp-fire and in the Enemy’s 

Country 205 

xii An Adventure after Dark 225 

xm “The Glorious Fourth” 244 

xiv Cousin Willie Sees a Ghost .... 261 

xv Beaver Camp vs. North Rutland . . .276 

xvi The Circus Comes to Town 294 

xvn An Historical Pilgrimage 318 

xvm “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” . . 340 

xix Visitors at Camp 354 

xx The New Owner of Beaver Camp . . . 371 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


Landing at the Camp 


Frontispiece 

PAGE 




The Camp 

“Just the place for Tennis,” murmured Tad . . 

“I don’t want to stay here all alone,” whined 
Cousin Willie 

The discovery in the underbrush 

They discovered their pet in strange quarters . 

Yes, the two lights could still be seen . . . 

He stopped and raised his club menacingly . . 

“I GUESS THE FALL KNOCKED YOUR BREATH OUT, DIDN’T 
IT?” 

The Beaver Campers celebrate the glorious 
Fourth 

They were not reassuring objects to discover in 

A DARK SPOT 

“Come on, fellows! Game called on account of 

FIRE !” 

Stover rose and began to explain the features 

OF THE PROCESSION 

“Don’t come any closer if you value your health” 

The man stopped short in bewildered astonish- 
ment 

The moonlight hay-ride of the Beaver Campers . 


11 


29 

i/ 

149 

1/ 

159 

]/ 

187 

1/ 

195 


207 

r 

227'. 

251 

269 


289 


309 

/ 

333 


357 


367 

>/ 



THE TOWNSEND TWINS 
CAMP DIRECTORS 



THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

' CAMP DIRECTORS 

CHAPTER I 

THE BALL IS STARTED ROLLING 

Could we but stand where Thomas stood 
And view the landscape o’er — 

A SOFA-PILLOW, skilfully aimed, cut 
short the poetic effort of Thaddeus 
Townsend. 

“I knew it would strike you sort of funny/ ’ 
his brother Thomas confessed with a sigh. 

4 ‘What — the idea or the pillow ?” 

“The idea ! You would n’t he yourself, Tad, 
if you didn’t make all kinds of fun of a thing.” 

‘ ‘ Why, that ’s queer ! ’ 9 and Tad ’s blue eyes 
opened wide in pretended amazement. “If I 
weren’t myself, who would I he? Explain 
yourself, kind sir.” 

Tom made a gesture of impatience. “Now 
3 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


look here, Thaddeus Townsend, Third, you are 
urgently requested to cut out your nonsense 
for five minutes, and — ” 

* ‘ Wait until I set the alarm-clock, so ’s to 
know when the time is up,” and Tad stepped 
over to the mantel and adjusted the alarm, 
while his brother continued his plea. 

“ — and listen to what I have to say. Re- 
member, you ’re not to say a single word until 
five minutes from now. I ’m watching the way 
you ’re setting that thing, too.” 

“Yes, ma ’am — I mean, yes, sir,” Tad re- 
plied meekly, at the same time correcting the 
adjustment of the alarm which otherwise would 
have sounded prematurely. 

“Now I ’ve thought this thing over, and — ” 
Some one tapped on the door then, and the 
voice of the hoys’ mother sounded in the hall, 
saying: 

“Are you both here, boys? Jack Winslow 
has called to see you, and I have asked him to 
come right up. I thought we should find you 
here.” 

Tom opened the door, as he replied cordially, 
“All right, Mother. Thank you! Hello, Jack, 
come in ! Hang up your chair and take a hat.” 

4 


THE BALL IS STARTED ROLLING 


While Tom extended a welcome to their visitor, 
Tad rose stiffly, stood a moment in a position 
which military men would have called “atten- 
tion,” saliited, pointed gravely at the clock, 
then at his mouth, and held up five fingers. 

Mrs. Townsend, laughing quietly at her son ’s 
elaborate pantomime, disappeared down the 
stairway. 

Jack looked a hit puzzled for an instant, then 
a broad grin spread over his cheerful counte- 
nance, and he bowed low to the speechless Tad. 

“Will you he good enough to furnish an ex- 
planation, Sir Thaddeus?” he said in a tone of 
mock seriousness. 

But Tad remained silent, although his ges- 
tures became more vigorous. 

“Guess what foolish notion ’s bitten him 
now, Jack,” Tom exclaimed in disgust. “I 
asked him to dry up and listen to me for five 
minutes, so I suppose he thinks he can’t say a 
word until the time ’s up. ’ 9 

“Well, don’t let me interfere, I beg of you,” 
Jack urged. “If you want to say anything to 
Tad, and have him fixed so he won’t talk for 
five minutes, it will he foolish to lose this pre- 
cious opportunity. Fire away and say your 
5 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


say ! There, that ’s poetry ! Let me write it 
down before I forget it. I ’ll just borrow 
Tad’s pen for the purpose, because he can’t tell 
me not to. Some day, I may write a book of 
poems.” 

Jack drew out a note-book and pretended to 
record the choice bit of verse. 

“I have a plan for next summer, Jack,” Tom 
began, “and I may as well tell you all about it 
now. I spoke of the matter to Tad, and he was 
so overcome that he began to recite a hymn. ’ ’ 

“It must be a swell plan, Tom, if it hit him as 
hard as that.” 

“It is ! Oh, it ’s a winner, all right ! I want 
to get a crowd of our fellows together, and or- 
ganize a regular camp, like those places where 
they charge anywhere between one hundred and 
two hundred dollars for the season.” 

Jack whistled. “I don’t wonder it ’s upset 
Tad! He ’s a delicate child, a fragile — ” 

Br-r-r-r-r-r ! The alarm-clock sounded the 
expiration of the five-minute period of silence. 

“What am I?” Tad demanded, assuming a 
belligerent attitude and advancing toward the 
visitor. 

“Oh, nothing, nothing! I didn’t mean 
6 


THE BALL IS STARTED ROLLING 


you,” Jack assured him, dodging behind a 
chair. “Yon are a tower of strength, noble 
Thaddeus! Why, the man down in Ryan’s 
window who ’s advertising that new-style exer- 
ciser is not to he mentioned in the same breath. ’ ’ 

“ 1 Thanks, thanks, my worthy friend,’ ” Tad 
responded with a low bow. “What thinkest 
thou of this plan of my small brother?” 

“I ‘thinkest’ that it would be great if we 
could do it, but doesn’t it seem a little — -well, 
a little beyond our depth?” 

“That ’s what I ’m afraid of, Jack,” Tad re- 
plied, speaking seriously. “It would be a fine 
way of spending our next vacation (now only 
nine months off) but it must cost like sixty to 
run one of those affairs, and as I plunge my 
hand into my pocket I fail to hear the merry 
jingling of coins rattling together.” 

“Same here,” Jack agreed. “Why, I ’ve 
been told that some of these swell camps, with 
their equipment and all, are worth as much as 
ten thousand dollars. Some go even higher.” 

“Up where Simon Wagstaff went, they had 
a regular darky chef, and he gave them cante- 
loup stuffed with ice cream for dessert on Sun- 
days,” Tom remarked. 

7 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

“ 'Simple Simon ’ will never get over that 
camp, ’ ’ Tad chuckled. “I think he must talk 
about it, even in his sleep. Canteloup and ice 
cream ! Ah, how terrible it must be to rough it 
that way.” 

Tom was afraid that conversation might drift 
away from the topic uppermost in his mind just 
then, so he returned to the subject with a good 
deal of earnestness. "Do you suppose these 
A1 camps were as they are now the first year 
they opened! I don’t! They started small 
and grew. Why can’t we do the same!” 

"We can,” Tad assured him cheerfully. 
"We ’ll start small, or not at all. There ’s an- 
other poem for you, Jacko ! Better put it down 
in that wonderful note-book of yours.” 

"I want to make a regular business of it, you 
know,” Tom explained. "This is the idea! 
Get ten fellows together, and run the camp for 
the benefit of this crowd the first summer. 
We ’ll be the officers of the corporation, the 
board of directors, and all that sort of thing. 
The stuff will belong to us. After that, if we 
have the cash, we can get more fellows in, and 
try to make some money.” 

Tad sighed and shook his head solemnly. 

8 


THE BALL IS STARTED ROLLING 


“Ah, Tommy, Tommy!” he exclaimed sorrow- 
fully. “Have you forgotten what the news- 
papers have been saying about the Sherman 
Act? If you go to work and organize a Camp 
Trust, you ’ll be hauled up before the courts for 
being a — a — what is it they call ’em ? Oh, yes ! 
a combination in restraint of trade. Then 
we ’ll have to come around and bail you out 
with a bailing can.” 

“Tom shows his business training, all 
right,” laughed Jack. “ ‘Prof’ Walker would 
be proud of him.” 

The three boys were students in the commer- 
cial department of one of the New York City 
high schools. Their daily round of classroom 
and lecture-hall periods had made them famil- 
iar with the simpler forms of bookkeeping, and 
with such matters as partnership settlements 
and the incorporation of a business. Tom’s 
active mind had developed the instruction thus 
received to a point where it could be used for 
his personal advantage and for the benefit of 
his friends. 

“It is n’t as if we had to begin ’way back at 
the beginning,” Tom went on to explain. 

“If you don’t begin at the beginning, then 
9 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


what do you call the place where you begin ?” 
Tad demanded. “When is a beginning not a 
beginning?” 

“You ’ll get your brain snarled up into terri- 
ble kinks if you overwork it that way,” Tom 
observed severely, as he glared at the offender. 
“You see, Jack, we have a real plan to work 
on. There ’s a camp for sale up on Lake 
Champlain, and from all I hear, it ’s a corker.” 

“What do you hear?” Jack inquired with 
eager interest. “Don’t pay any attention to 
Tad. He ’s naughty! Tell me all about it. 
I ’m a good little boy. I won’t butt in till you 
get past all the commas and things and come to 
the last period.” 

“I ’ve seen a picture of the place, Jack, and 
it ’s great! A fine, sandy beach with woods 
back of it ; a field where you can play baseball, 
a bungalow, an ice-house, and a sort of cottage 
— how ’s that for a camp site?” 

“Sounds like a winner, Tom. Do you sup- 
pose it ’s at all like the picture?” 

“Oh, yes! It ’s a straight proposition, Jack. 
I know the man who owns it. He wants to sell 
the place for twenty-five hundred dollars.” 

Jack gasped and pretended to feel faint. 

10 


The camp 























THE BALL IS STARTED ROLLING 


“A mere trifle, of course,’ ’ Tad commented 
airily. “I suggest that we order a dozen and 
write for discounts.” 

“But, Tom, where is the money coming 
from?” Jack managed to inquire. 

“Oh, why we don’t have to buy the place. 
We can rent it for the summer.” 

1 ‘ I hope rents climb down as the temperature 
climbs up. ’ ’ 

“Not so you could notice it, Jack! He wants 
two hundred for the season, unfurnished.” 

“Dollars?” 

* 1 Sure ! Did you think I meant cats ? ’ ’ 

“It might as well be two thousand, Tommy. 
I can shut my eyes and imagine that I have as 
much as that right in my pocket, but when I 
open ’em again — why I can’t imagine beyond 
ten cents. I need a tonic for my imagination.” 

< ‘ The rent does n ’t strike you as being at all 
high, does it, Jack?” Tad asked shrewdly. 

“Why, it’s awful!” Jack declared. “I 
don’t know much about such things, but I 
should think we ought to get a furnished camp, 
if we pay as much as that.” 

“So we ought,” Tom agreed, “and we would, 
too, if we all were grown up. I did n’t think it 
13 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


was square to keep anything from Mr. Ray- 
mond — he ’s the man who owns the place — 
when I wrote to him, so he knows that it ’s a 
party of fellows who want to use his camp. 
Probably he has put the rent high, thinking that 
it will scare us away. Anyhow, he ’s not very 
keen about renting. Hq wants to sell the place, 
and I understand that he moved all the furni- 
ture out last fall.” 

“ If it ’s worth anything he ’d better not leave 
it there for our crowd to use,” Tad declared. 

“Nobody would be exactly enthusiastic over 
the idea of letting a bunch of fellows take pos- 
session of a furnished camp,” Tom went on. 
“I can see how Mr. Raymond feels about it, but 
if we get ten of our fellows together — picked 
men, remember — I think we can raise the 
money. This is only the end of September, you 
know. Look at the oceans of time we have.” 

Tad drew out his note-book and picked up his 
fountain-pen. 

“Mr. Winslow,” he began in a businesslike 
tone, “shall I have the great honor of incor- 
porating you into the Thomas Townsend Camp 
Trust? (I ’m afraid we ’ll need a lot of trust 
before we get through.)” 

14 


THE BALL IS STARTED ROLLING 


“Sure! Put me down/’ Jack responded 
good-naturedly, amused at the idea. “I sup- 
pose the first ones to enter will be the officers of 
the Trust and the largest stockholders. ’ 9 

Tad nodded. “My enterprising brother will 
be president. You can be vice-president, secre- 
tary, treasurer, general manager, superintend- 
ent, or chairman of the board of directors. 
I ’m to be chief of the staff of office boys, be- 
cause I want to wear a uniform with a double 
row of brass buttons on the front. The unfor- 
tunate dub who ’s the last to be admitted to 
the Trust is to be chief cook. This great cor- 
poration will be composed of nine officers and 
one member.’ ’ 

“I ’ll be the member,” Jack volunteered. 
“I ’m so modest that the shrinking violet is 
bold when compared with me.” 

There was a pause while Tad made some 
elaborate flourishes which would have endan- 
gered the near-by territory if there had been 
much ink in his pen. Then Jack remarked sud- 
denly : 

“Well, here! I haven’t told you what I 
came to see you about in particular. This 
Camp Trust almost made me forget it. Who 
15 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


are you going to root for as president of the 
athletic association f” 

The twins exchanged glances which seemed 
to suggest information not yet made public. 
Finally, Tad spoke. 

“ ‘Simple Simon’ Wagstaff has n’t the ghost 
of a chance. He puts on too many airs. We ’d 
be for Bert Halsey, only — er — well, the fact is, 
Jack, Bert did n’t seem quite on the level in the 
exams last June.” 

Jack’s eyes opened wide in undisguised 
amazement. “I wouldn’t have thought that 
of Bert!” he exclaimed. 

Tom nodded. “It ’s an awful shame,” he 
said regretfully, “hut we can’t doubt it. After 
the physiology exam, we walked out of the 
schoolyard together, and Bert reached up to 
swing on that iron bar across the gate — the fel- 
lows often do that, you know. We couldn’t 
help noticing that his cuffs were covered with 
notes in shorthand. We saw enough of ’em to 
know that they had something to do with 
physiology. We ’ve never said a word about 
it to any one outside until now, and we ’d rather 
you would keep it quiet, Jack. That ’s the rea- 
son why we ’d he sorry to vote for Halsey.” 

16 


CHAPTER II 


THE BALL STILL BOLLS 

S INCE the time when they had been per- 
mitted to leave the house without constant 
parental surveillance, the Townsend twins had 
been leaders in every boyish activity that made 
life interesting in the neighborhood. Neither 
of them, perhaps, could have occupied a posi- 
tion of leadership if deserted by the other, hut 
each seemed able to supply what the other 
lacked, and their fellowship was so intimate 
that they formed the strongest and closest sort 
of partnership. 

Thaddeus Townsend, named for his father 
and paternal grandfather, was an easy-going, 
good-natured boy; fond of fun, and of phys- 
ical rather than scholastic exercise. He was 
shorter than his brother and heavier. The 
ruddy glow of health in his round, rosy cheeks, 
and the sparkle of his clear blue eyes bore evi- 
dence to a clean, wholesome, robust physique. 

17 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

His brother Thomas was taller than the aver- 
age hoy of his years, and slender without being 
thin. He possessed a quick, active mind, a 
tremendous fund of nervous energy, consider- 
able physical strength, and more than a little 
strength of character. Apparently, nothing 
gave him keener delight than to lay ambitious 
plans for the future, and then to bend all his en- 
ergies toward the accomplishment of his pur- 
poses. 

Tad never failed to ridicule these plans of his 
enterprising brother, or to poke all manner of 
good-humored fun at his efforts. Neverthe- 
less, he always worked loyally and diligently to 
make these same efforts successful, so his merry 
raillery never caused Tom much real distress. 
Indeed, not infrequently the humorous com- 
ments carried with them so much sturdy com- 
mon sense that the attention of the impulsive 
maker of plans was drawn to some weak link in 
his chain of arrangements. Then a revision 
was made, thus assuring larger and more per- 
manent success. 

The boys always had lived in a certain small 
two-story-and-basement house, located in one 
of the sections of New York City that had re- 
18 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


sisted the invasion of commerce until recent 
aggressive tactics had carried the hold invaders 
within the outer bulwarks of the neighborhood. 
Together they had passed through the different 
grades of the nearest grammar school, and now 
were enrolled in one of the great high schools of 
the city, where upward of fifteen hundred boys 
were receiving instruction and training calcu- 
lated to make them capable and competent in 
commercial life. 

The twins were several months past their 
fifteenth birthday, and on the mild September 
afternoon when Jack Winslow called, he found 
them sitting in the square room which they had 
shared since infancy. The two windows com- 
manded a superb view of a row of high, brick 
apartment-houses, the rear of each festooned 
with fire-escapes. A large warehouse was 
halfway up the block, and a garage, reeking 
with odors of gasoline, stood nearer — a dismal 
commentary upon the fact that real estate in 
New York City must be made to yield the ut- 
most income, even though residences are jostled 
on either side by buildings used for commercial 
purposes. This invasion of the peace and 
quiet of the neighborhood, as has been hinted, 
2 19 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


had occurred during the recent past, and was 
viewed with no little alarm and resentment by 
the citizens. It suggested a future not pleas- 
ant to contemplate. 

The room of the twins and its environment 
are worthy of note, because here it was destined 
that the headquarters of the Camp Trust should 
be located. 

“Have you said anything to Bert about it?” 
Jack asked, after a long pause which followed 
Tom’s explanation. 

Tad shook his head. 

“No, we have n’t, Jack. He ’s never seemed 
bothered about it, either. He must have known 
that we saw his cutis with the notes on ’em, yet 
he didn’t attempt to conceal anything. In 
fact, to see him you would have thought that it 
was just the proper thing to wear cutis deco- 
rated with a lot of physiology notes in short- 
hand. ’ ’ 

Jack puzzled over the matter a minute, then 
suggested, “Maybe he thought that if he acted 
as if nothing special was doing, you wouldn’t 
suspect anything. It took nerve to follow a 
program ]ike that, and he must have kept a 
pretty good grip on himself.” 

20 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


“I never could feel the same toward a fellow 
after I ’d caught him in any underhanded 
work,” Tom declared. ‘ ‘ Halsey is very pleas- 
ant, though, and he ’s popular among the fel- 
lows. I almost wish that I didn’t know this 
thing about him, because it makes me feel dis- 
gusted when I think of him, and yet I can’t 
explain my reason to the other fellows.” 

‘ ‘ There aren’t many fellows in the school 
who ’d have kept a secret like that from leak- 
ing,” Jack said in a tone which expressed won- 
der and admiration. “Why not show him 
up?” 

“No !” Tom shook his head in emphatic dis- 
sent. “It may all he true, Jack. Halsey may 
have cribbed the whole exam from those notes, 
hut I ’ll never say a word to any one that ’ll 
queer him with the fellows. Of course, we can 
trust you to keep still. That ’s the reason we 
told you why we didn’t feel like voting for 
Halsey.” 

“But — but — he ’s sailing under false col- 
ors !” Jack protested. “You have a clear case, 
it seems to me. It ’s your duty to the class and 
to the whole school to expose a fellow who ’d do 
such a thing. Suppose he ’s elected — it looks 
21 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


as if lie would be — and then does some sneaking 
thing. Think of the disgrace to the school.” 

“Yes, we have thought of it, Jack,” Tad as- 
sured him. “We ’ve talked it all over, Tom 
and I, and we don’t feel like starting any report 
that would always follow Halsey, and might 
spoil his whole future life. Suppose he could 
clear himself, and prove that there was nothing 
wrong in having the notes at that time. How 
would we feel?” 

“I don’t see how he can do that — honestly.” 

“Neither do I, but there ’s no evidence, Jack. 
Just our word against his.” 

“But there are two of you.” 

“Might as well be one. If I said the moon 
was made of green cheese, Tom would declare 
that he had thought so ever since his first 
glimpse of it. We always stick up for each 
other, and always have — always will, I hope. 
Every one who ’s had any dealings with us 
knows that. 

“Then, another thing! The fellows ’ll won- 
der why we didn’t say something about this 
before. Keeping it till now and springing it 
at this time looks like a campaign trick.” 

“Hm-m! Well, so be it,” Jack assented, not 
22 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


altogether convinced that the twins were fol- 
lowing the wisest course. “I must run along. 
I just dropped in for a few minutes and I ’ve 
been here more hi an hour.” 

The boys escorted him to the door, then re- 
turned to their room. 

“Do you really think that camp plan will 
work, Tad? ” Tom asked, a bit anxiously, 
plunging his hands into his trousers ’ pockets 
and staring absent-mindedly out of the window. 

Tad seated himself beside their study table, 
resting his elbows upon it and his head on his 
hands. 

“I ’m not so sure of the plan working, 
Tommy, but I rather think you ’ll work if you 
undertake to put anything like that through. 
It ’s a good-sized job that you ’re tackling.” 

“That doesn’t scare me, Tad. I ’m willing 
to work, but if I start it, I ’d hate to see the 
thing fall through.” 

His brother nodded sympathetically and re- 
mained silent. 

“ I just got the letter this afternoon. It 
was waiting for me when I came in from school. 
I don’t believe I ’ve even showed you the pic- 
tures of the place, have I?” 

23 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Tad sighed and assumed the air of a martyr, 
as he replied, “Oh, no! I never see anything. 
I ’m meek and good-natured, so I always get the 
leavings. Here you ’ve been carrying this 
camp plan around under your curly locks, 
which, by the way, would be improved if you 
used a comb to smooth them down and quit run- 
ning your fingers through ’em, and I ’m not told 
anything about the scheme until you get ready 
to incorporate and need capital. Then you 
come around tempting me. This time, you are 
foiled! Ha! I will have my revenge! Not a 
cent of my money shall swell your hoard until 
day after to-morrow. I get my allowance 
then. ’ ’ 

“You’re a poor, neglected child,” Tom re- 
sponded. “I kept still about this camp plan 
until I had something definite to tell you. One 
of the people in the room here — and it is n’t I 
— is fond of speaking cruelly of what he calls 
‘half-baked’ schemes which the other sometimes 
mentions to him.” 

Tad threw up his hands. “I plead guilty, 
and throw myself upon the mercy of the 
Court!” he exclaimed. 

“Well, it ’s true, Tad, that sometimes I get 
24 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


an idea into my head, and go rushing off with- 
out looking into the matter as I should,” Tom 
admitted, “but this time, I wanted to surprise 
you.” 

“You certainly have!” his brother declared. 

“I saw the advertisement in the paper about 
a week ago, and I took special interest in it be- 
cause we met Mr. Raymond at Lake George last 
summer, and it was he who was trying to sell 
his camp.” 

‘ 1 That ’s so ! I remember him, now that you 
speak of the time we met him. ’ ’ 

“Well, I sat right down and wrote to Mr. 
Raymond, telling him what I was thinking of, 
and his answer has just come. He ’d rather 
sell than rent, hut if the property is on his 
hands next summer, he ’ll let us use it for two 
hundred dollars.” 

1 ‘ I should think he might. He won ’t lose any 
money on the deal, at that figure. ’ ’ 

“Oh, but it ’s a swell place, Tad! Just look 
at the pictures. Now, here ’s one taken from 
the lake — ” 

Tom laid a picture before his brother, who 
carried it nearer the window to get a stronger 
light. Beyond the rippling waters of the lake, 
25 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


a sandy beach, extended across the small kodak 
picture. Beyond this, the trees stood out so 
sharply and distinctly that it was almost pos- 
sible to imagine a slight rustling of the leaves 
in the light breeze that gently forced the little 
wavelets up on the sand. A low, homelike-ap- 
pearing bungalow was partly visible through 
the trees, and a plain, small building stood far- 
ther back among the shadows. A wharf, not 
large but apparently substantial, extended out 
some twelve or fifteen feet into the lake, and be- 
yond it, at the extreme end of the picture, a 
high, wooded point thrust itself out from the 
shore. 

“Here ’s a nearer view of the bungalow,’ ’ 
Tom went on, “and here ’s the clearing where 
we could make an athletic field, and that picture 
shows the spring. They say it ’s a dandy 
spring with fine, clear, cool water.” 

“Dry up every summer!” 

“Why no — it never dries up!” 

“Neither do you!” 

“Toot-toot! And here ’s the road leading 
back from the camp to the main road.” 

Tad was such a real boy that he could not help 
catching some of his brother’s enthusiasm as he 
26 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


looked at the pictures and imagined what a de- 
lightful summer might he spent in such a spot. 
The bungalow was about forty feet wide, and, 
judging from the pictures, a little more than 
half as deep. A wide piazza extended across 
the front of this building, and was so built that 
from it one might catch the best views obtain- 
able of the beautiful lake and the majestic 
splendor of the distant Adirondacks. 

The ‘ 6 athletic-field-to-be ’ ’ was cleared of 
trees, but that was about all that could he said 
in its favor. It was rough, uneven, and cov- 
ered with a rank growth of tall grass and 
weeds. 

“Just the place for tennis,’ ’ murmured Tad. 
“It looks like a jungle.’ ’ 

“Oh, just let ten fellows wade into that with 
scythes and spades. We ’d soon have a base- 
ball diamond, a tennis court, and room enough 
left for basketball, most likely.” 

“Hm-m! If you let ten fellows loose in 
there with scythes, you ’ll have a lot of surgical 
cases on your hands. You ’d better use just 
one fellow and one scythe. Let him keep a 
stone wall between himself and his trusty blade, 
then he won’t come to grief.” 

27 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Well, there ’s lots of time. We ’re not 
there yet.” 

‘ ‘ That ’s so! I ’m glad you reminded me of 
it. Why don’t you lay out a golf course on 
your grassy glade ? ’ ’ 

“We might,” Tom responded. “Once we 
get started, there ’s no telling how we ’ll de- 
velop.” 

The spring looked so cool and refreshing that 
Tad declared the sight of it made him thirsty. 
The camera had almost caught the sparkle of 
the water as it bubbled up through the opening 
in the rocks, and a thick screen of bushes and 
small trees protected it from the sun. 

“We could have the water piped into the 
bungalow,” Tom suggested. “It isn’t very 
far.” 

“Oh, yes!” his brother agreed, “and we 
could make a fountain right down on the shore. 
Just think how pretty it would look from the 
lake. ’ ’ 

The last picture in the collection showed a 
narrow, shady road, traveled very infrequently. 
One might imagine the chirping of birds in the 
trees and the drowsy hum of bees flying hither 
and thither among the wild flowers. 

28 




“Just the place for 


tennis/' 


murmured Tad 


- 







THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


“It ’s a tip-top place, Tom!” cried his 
brother, returning the pictures with a happy 
sigh. “A regular top-notcher! Let ’s start 
to-morrow. ’ ’ 

“We ’ll have to talk it over here at home, first 
thing,” Tom announced. “I don’t know what 
the folks will say about the idea.” 

“If we went to a regular camp, it would cost 
close on to five hundred dollars for the two of 
us, including railroad fares, side trips, and 
everything. A hoarding-house would be nearly 
as expensive, because Mother would n’t want to 
go so far that Father couldn’t commute every 
day, and hoard comes high near the city. 
That ’s too much to spend. I don’t believe 
Father could stand it, especially just now when 
business is rather quiet. ’ ’ 

Tom nodded, but made no further response, 
so Tad continued, 

“We might go off on a little trip for two 
weeks, like we did last summer, and spend the 
rest of the vacation in town, or we could go out 
to the farm and stay with Aunt Mary — ” 

“We don’t want to go to Aunt Mary’s,” Tom 
hastily interposed. “Not hut what she ’d be 
glad to see us, and would give us the best she 
31 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

has, but it ’s way out in the wilderness and you 
know by sad experience that there ’s absolutely 
nothing to do after you get settled. As for 
staying home eight weeks in the heat and going 
away for two, why, that ’s not to he thought of 
if we can spend the whole vacation in camp.” * 

“How much will it cost, Tom? Have you 
figured it out at all?” 

“Not yet! Got a piece of paper? Now, 
let ’s see! Rent, two hundred dollars, ten fel- 
lows, twenty dollars apiece. Food and sup- 
plies, about five hundred dollars, fifty dollars 
for each fellow. Carfare, there and back, well 
— say ten dollars. That ought to cover it. 
Twenty, fifty, and ten — eighty dollars for each 
one, figuring closely and not making allowances 
for extras.” 

“Do you think you can get ten fellows to go 
into this scheme? We ’ll have to he careful 
what kind we take — no ‘grouches,’ no quitters, 
no kickers, and no fellow with anything that 
looks like a yellow streak in him.” 

“There are n’t more than ten like that in the 
whole city, are there ? I mean eight besides us, 
of course.” 

“Oh, sure! Why, there ’s Jack Winslow, Ed 
32 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


Sherman, and ‘Lefty’ Beckley. They ’re just 
the right kind to begin with. We can find ten, 
all right; don’t worry about that part of it.” 

“There ’s another important thing that we 
have n’t talked about yet. Who ’s going to run 
the camp? Father won’t let us stir a step un- 
less we have some man to look after us.” 

“That’s right! I never thought of that. 
Wow! Who under the sun can we get?” 

“Bert Halsey has a brother who was a camp 
leader somewhere last summer. He ’s study- 
ing medicine, and I should think he ’d be just 
about right. We wouldn’t need a doctor in 
camp if we had him, and his experience with a 
bunch of fellows at camp would make him able 
to run this affair of ours without much trouble, 
it seems to me.” 

“Well, if we thought of asking him, we ’d 
have to include Bert in the party. Do we want 
him?” 

“That ’s so. We ’re sort of up against it 
there, sure enough ! Oh, well ! Maybe we can 
get some one else, though it isn’t going to be 
easy to find a man who ’ll be so killing fond of 
our society that he ’ll jump at the chance of 
spending the s umm er with us. We ’ll keep our 
33 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


fingers crossed, all the same, and wish good 
things for all we ’re worth/ ’ 

i ‘ We ’ll talk it over with Father to-night. 
He may know of some one.” 

“He may — but then, again, he may not! 
That ’s more likely.” 

From the floor below, a musical bell chimed — 
one, two, three, four, five. 

“Five o’clock and all ’s well!” cried Tom. 
“If we ’re going to discuss this camp after sup- 
per, it strikes me that it might not be a bad idea 
to do some studying now. How about it?” 

Tad sighed gloomily, and picked up a German 
grammar. Except for the noisy ticking of the 
alarm-clock, and an occasional question or ex- 
clamation, there was little to disturb the peace 
and calm until the dinner-bell rang, shortly be- 
fore seven. 

When Tom’s mind was possessed by one of 
his ambitious plans, it was not to be expected 
that he would long remain silent, when an op- 
portunity to take a forward step presented it- 
self. Hence, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend were 
treated to an enthusiastic report of the camp 
proposition before the evening meal had 
reached its conclusion. 

34 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


They were so accustomed to hearing one or 
another of Tom’s hopeful dreams that nothing 
of this sort gave them much concern. The idea 
seemed good to Mr. Townsend, and he encour- 
aged the boys to go on with their planning. 
To be sure, Mrs. Townsend expressed some 
anxiety for the safety of the twins, and pro- 
fessed a belief that they surely would fall into 
harm or danger or mischief, so far from paren- 
tal guidance and oversight, but the twins knew 
that she spoke in this manner with a desire to 
remind them of the necessity of care and 
thought, rather than on account of any real op- 
position to their plan. 

“ Suppose you get out the atlas, Tom, and 
show us just where this place is,” Mr. Town- 
send suggested, as they rose from the table. 

The family gathered around the long, low 
table in the library. (The Townsends were 
old-fashioned enough to call it the ‘ ‘sitting- 
room.”) The lamp cast a mellow, cheerful 
light about the room, and the whole atmosphere 
of the place was so pleasant and homelike that 
one might be inclined to wonder why two boys 
should wish to exchange this comfort for “a 
lodge in some vast wilderness.” 

35 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Tom hunted up the map of Lake Champlain 
in the big atlas, and ran his finger slowly down 
the eastern shore until it came to Beaver 
Creek. 

“It ’s right in there, somewhere,’ ’ he re- 
ported. “The railroad runs through here, hut 
the camp is a long way from the nearest station. 
The best way to get there is on one of the lake 
steamboats. A little launch will take you 
over to the camp landing from Westport or 
Essex.” 

“A good, healthful location,” Mr. Townsend 
commented. “You have the Adirondacks on 
the west, and the Green Mountains on the east. 
A beautiful spot for a camp, to be sure, though 
I suppose you ’re not thinking of going away 
just to admire the scenery.” 

“Is n’t there a large Y. M. C. A. camp up in 
that section?” Mrs. Townsend inquired. 

“Camp Dudley ’s up that way,” Tad made 
answer. “That ’s the big New York State 
camp. It ’s on the opposite side of the lake, 
though, and farther down.” 

“That camp started small,” Tom excitedly 
reminded them. “They had only seven fellows 
the first year, and just see what it is to-day. 

36 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 

Nobody can tell what our camp will be in a few 
years.* * 

Mr. Townsend laughed merrily. ‘ ‘ Nothing 
like planning for big things, Tom,” he remarked 
approvingly. “ ‘Hitch your wagon to a star.* 
You may never get all you hope for, but you *11 
accomplish more than if you never dared to risk 
anything for fear of possible failure.* * 

“How did you discover this camp site?** Mrs. 
Townsend wanted to know. 

“Well, it came about in this way,** Tom ex- 
plained. “There *s a fellow in school named 
Simon Wagstaff. The fellows call him ‘Simple 
Simon’ because he puts on so many airs that 
he *s silly. He went to one of those bang-up 
camps last summer, one where it costs a pile 
for the season. It made him more stuck-up 
than he was before, and that *s saying a good 
deal. Ever since school opened, he *s been 
blowing about that wonderful camp — what they 
did, and what the director said, and what the 
doctor said, and what his tent leader said, and 
what the cook said, and what the cat thought 
about it all. 

“At first, it struck me as funny, but it got 
tiresome after a while. Then, all at once, I be- 
3 37 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


gan to think how much fun it would be to get up 
a party of fellows and spend the season at one 
of these camps. Most of ’em charge like sixty, 
and we couldn’t afford it — our crowd. Then 
I wondered why we couldn’t have one of our 
own, and make a regular business of running a 
camp for fellows who might like to come. 

“That ’s what I want to do up there on Lake 
Champlain. Of course, the first year will be an 
experiment, and the fellows who go into it will 
be partners in the business. Another year, we 
can take more fellows, charge them enough to 
give us a little profit, and use that money to 
build up the camp and make improvements. 

44 Well, I got off the subject, did n’t I? Let ’s 
see, where was I? Oh, yes — why, after I ’d 
thought of this scheme, I began to look at the 
advertisements in the newspapers. One day, 
I found that a man up in Burlington was offer- 
ing a camp for sale or to let. I wrote to him, 
and his answer came to-day. It turned out to 
be that real-estate man who was stopping at the 
little hotel on Lake George where we stayed 
over Sunday last summer. Raymond is his 
name. I guess you remember him.” 

4 4 Oh, yes!” Mr. Townsend responded, taking 
38 


THE BALL STILL ROLLS 


the letter and pictures which Tom handed him. 
“I have very pleasant memories of Mr. Ray- 
mond. ’ ’ 

“I kept this thing a secret, even from Tad,” 
Tom observed with a chuckle of satisfaction. 
“I just told him to-day about what I want to 
do.” 

“It is very wrong to boast of one’s virtues,” 
Tad remarked with withering scorn. 1 1 1 never 
do it.” 

But his brother received the modest state- 
ment with derision. 

The pictures were duly examined and ad- 
mired, and the parents of the twins seemed to 
catch some of the boys’ enthusiasm as they 
talked together of the possibilities of health- 
giving, wholesome living out-of-doors which 
such a delightful place afforded. 

“Of course, you will need some older friend 
to manage the camp,” Mr. Townsend said fi- 
nally, “but this can be arranged without much 
effort, I think. There are a number of trained 
camp leaders who will be seeking engagements 
next spring, and this plan is so attractive in 
many ways that I shouldn’t wonder if one of 
these young men would be glad of the opportu- 
39 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

nity to take hold of such a camp and develop 
it.” 

“If you do go up there to start a camp next 
summer, boys, I wish you ’d take your cousin 
Will Ainsworth with you,” Mrs. Townsend 
ventured somewhat uncertainly. “I think it 
would be the making of him.” 

4 4 Cousin Willie ! ’ ’ gasped Tom, and the twins 
looked at each other in undisguised alarm and 
dismay. 4 4 Perish the thought ! 9 9 


40 


CHAPTER III 


CONCERNING COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 

HY, Mother !” Tad exclaimed, striving 



V V to express himself politely, yet frank- 
ly. “The fellows would make all kinds of fun 
of Willie. Of course, we ’d try to be nice to 
him, but he ’s so — er — so different from the 
others ! Why, if he saw a spider, a great, big, 
fat, crawly, fuzzy-wuzzy spider, with pop- 
eyes — ” Mrs. Townsend began to look appre- 
hensive — “I believe he ’d yell. ,, 

“I know I should,” laughed his mother. 
“You have wonderful powers of description, 
Tad. I can almost feel a spider crawling on 
me now.” 

“Let me knock off the imaginary creature,” 
Tad begged, making frantic efforts to discover 
the offender. “But, really, Mother, you know 
what a perfect baby Willie is. More than that, 
he ’s a spoiled baby. Why, I can hear the fel- 


41 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


lows calling him Will ’e Bite if we took him up 
there with us.” 

“He is spoiled, Tad,” Mrs. Townsend ad- 
mitted, “and not as manly and courageous as 
— as my boys are, hut he is younger than you, 
and sometimes, as I have watched him, it has 
seemed to me that some experience which would 
compel him to depend upon his own resources 
would make a different boy of Will. I feel 
anxious about him, hoys, because he is the only 
hoy in my family, you know, except a certain 
pair not far away. If he should grow up to be 
a weak, effeminate man, it would be a great 
disappointment to all of us.” 

“Well, would he want to go, Mother!” Tom 
asked, as Mrs. Townsend paused, and his tone 
indicated quite plainly that he hoped such a de- 
sire might he far from his cousin’s thoughts. 
“I should think he ’d he afraid of that rough 
sort of life. He might spot his clothes, or get 
his hands dirty, or be obliged to do what he 
didn’t want to. A fellow has to take what ’s 
coming to him in camp, and if he kicks, he soon 
finds that he ’s teased worse than ever.” 

“Will wanted to go to some camp this last 
summer,” was the reply, “but said nothing 
42 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 


about it until the plans of the family were made. 
Then, too, his mother could not hear the 
thought of sending him among strangers. If 
you have your camp next summer, as you are 
planning it, I think he will want to be with you, 
and it will be a great relief to his mother to 
know that he is with his own cousins.” 

Mr. Townsend took advantage of this three- 
cornered discussion, and picked up the evening 
paper. It was evident, however, that the news 
was not holding his entire attention, for a sub- 
dued chuckle from behind the outspread pages 
betrayed his interest in the cause of Cousin 
Willie. 

“Hm-m-m!” Tad murmured, admitting the 
truth of all that had been said, but still reserv- 
ing certain grave doubts of his own. “ Would 
the kid be willing to do what he was told, after 
he got there ? We could n ’t begin to humor him 
the way they do at home, and it seems to me 
that he wouldn’t be happy unless he could 
have his own way. I believe he ’d want to run 
back to mama the first night. A fellow who 
needs a nurse is awfully out of place at a 
camp. ’ ’ 

Mrs. Townsend smiled a little. 4 ‘If he 
43 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


should go, Tad, of course he would be obliged to 
obey all the rules that the campers might make. 
That is the sort of discipline Will needs. He 
might not enjoy it, but I believe his pride would 
keep him from complaining. ’ ’ 

“We ’ll talk it over with the fellows, 
Mother/ ’ Tom promised, striving to end the 
matter in a diplomatic way. “If they ’re will- 
ing to take Willie, I suppose he can tag on.” 

“Of course, I shouldn’t want Will to be a 
burden to you, or in any way spoil the pleasure 
of this outing, either for yourselves or your 
friends,” Mrs. Townsend quietly remarked. 
“I cannot hope that you will take quite the 
same view of this matter that I do. 

“It seems to me that the way to get the most 
happiness out of any form of recreation is to 
help some one else at the same time. Perhaps 
there is not as much selfish pleasure in this kind 
of fun, but I have found that it brings more 
happiness and a sort of contented, satisfied 
feeling that does not soon pass away. 

“Take this matter that we are discussing, 
for instance. If you boys go off with your 
friends to camp, you will have a good time, no 
doubt, and will come back to us larger, 
44 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 

stronger, and better able to do the work that 
future months may bring. This is worth while, 
and I ought not to call this manner of spending 
a vacation a selfish one. 

“Yet, it seems to me that I should feel bet- 
ter satisfied with my vacation if I came back 
to the city knowing that I had helped a boy to 
become manly and self-reliant. 

“Well, well! what a long sermon I ’ve 
preached! I won’t say any more about this, 
boys, because I know that I can trust you to do 
what is right and fair to everybody interested 
in the plan.” 

Conversation was turned into other channels 
after a time, and in half an hour the boys went 
upstairs to spend a little more time on the les- 
sons for the next day. 

“If ever I need anybody to plead for me, 
I ’ll send for Mother,” Tad declared. “She ’s 
great at making you want to do the things you 
didn’t want to do before she tackled you.” 

“Surest thing you know! I suppose we ’ll 
have to take the kid, but if he gets to cutting up 
any monkey-shines — ” Tom stopped suddenly 
and made a gesture, which, had he seen it, 
would surely have struck terror into the heart 
45 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

of the youthful William Langley Ainsworth, 
Jr. 

The annual meeting of the Athletic Associa- 
tion in the school attended by the twins was 
held in October. As the president expected to 
graduate in February, it was necessary to elect 
his successor at the approaching meeting. 
Several candidates had been mentioned, and 
campaigning was actively in progress during 
these days preceding the election. 

The two candidates most prominent in the 
field were Gilbert Halsey and Simon Wagstaff, 
both in the first half of the second year of their 
courses, and classmates of the twins. 

Simon Wagstaff represented the sporting 
element in the school. His family possessed 
considerable wealth, suddenly though honestly 
acquired, and Simon cultivated all the airs and 
graces of what he would have termed “a society 
man.” The more solid and sensible of the stu- 
dents despised him and ridiculed his affected 
mannerisms, but he had a loyal following, 
nevertheless, among those who were like him- 
self or who desired to be. 

Gilbert Halsey was captain of the track team, 
46 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 


and substitute tackle on the Varsity eleven, 
with a bright prospect of being used regularly 
if a certain youth failed to show decided im- 
provement in the near future. He was a con- 
scientious worker, and usually an unselfish, 
happy-go-lucky fellow. He had a violent tem- 
per, however, and when he lost his self-control, 
he sometimes lost friends at the same time. 
His election was confidently predicted by many 
students who remained loyal to him, in spite 
of his infirmities of temper. 

The morning after the Thomas Townsend 
Camp Trust started merrily upon its career 
found the twins walking toward school in com- 
pany with Jack Winslow and Edgar Sherman. 

After a few scattering remarks, Jack said 
abruptly : 

4 4 Tad, some of the fellows would like to have 
you for president of the Athletic Association. 
If you ’d consent to run, a lot of ’em would sup- 
port you, and I think you ’d stand a good show 
of being elected.” 

“ Better try it, Tad,” Edgar Sherman urged. 
“We Ve sounded quite a number, and the fel- 
lows all say that they ’d rather vote for you 
than for Bert Halsey. Wagstaff can’t get near 
47 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


enough to the office to see it with a telescope, so 
it ’d be a race between you and Bert.” 

“Why, I don’t know,” Tad responded slowly, 
immensely pleased at the idea, but not caring 
to appear over-eager to enter the field, “Hal- 
sey ’s pretty popular, you know, and it might 
make hard feelings between us if I ran against 
him. He ’s anxious to be elected, and if no 
other candidate enters the race, most likely he 
will be.” 

“That’s right!” Jack agreed. “Halsey ’ll 
be elected unless a stronger fellow is put up 
against him. Yet, a lot of the fellows don’t 
want to support him on account of his nasty 
temper. If he ’d keep cool and hang on to 
himself, there ’d be no use of you or any one 
else running against him. With his athletic 
record, and all the friends he has, it ’d be a 
walkover for him.” 

“We don’t want a president who goes up in 
the air when things don’t suit him,” Edgar 
argued. “He might disgrace the school. I 
advise you to run, Tad. A lot of the fellows 
would jump at the chance to vote for you, be- 
cause they won’t vote for Wagstaff and don’t 
like to support Halsey — not that they don’t 
48 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 


like him, you know, but they ’re afraid of a dis- 
play of fireworks after he gets elected. You 
know how bad it would he if he should get 
started, at some time when, for the sake of the 
school, he ought to keep cool. ,, 

“You ’re just the fellow we want, Tad,” Jack 
urged. “You wouldn’t get mad if a steam 
roller ran over you. You ’re prominent in 
athletics, and you can handle the fellows. 
You have a way of getting ’em to do things 
that does n’t hurt their feelings. It would he 
a fine thing for the school as well as for the 
association, if you ’d take the job.” 

“What do you think about it, Tom?” Tad 
asked, turning to his brother, who had not yet 
expressed an opinion. “To run or not to run, 
that is the question.” 

“You ’re a good runner, Tad,” was the 
prompt reply. “I ’d try for it, if I were you.” 

“Thus speaketh the wise one,” Tad re- 
sponded, and his tone showed that his mind 
was made up. “Gentlemen of the committee, 
I hereby accept your kind nomination. [Ap- 
plause.] I shall run upon a simple platform of 
boards. [Laughter and applause.] My op- 
ponents [groans] shall have a square deal and 
49 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

anything else I can give ’em that costs nothing. 
[Cheers.] If you see fit to elect me [Voice, 
4 4 You just better believe we will”] I pledge 
myself to make the fame of the Athletic Asso- 
ciation known from the Atlantic to the Pacific; 
from the Harlem River to Gowanus Canal, and 
then some. [Wild cheers.] Our athletes shall 
be in the first rank [Voice, 4 4 Some are rank 
now”], and shall go forth boldly conquering 
and to conquer. We will proudly bear the col- 
ors of our beloved school into the fray and ever 
bear them hence victoriously in well-earned 
triumph. [Loud cheers.] Never shall they be 
allowed to trail in the dust of defeat. Gentle- 
men, I thank you, and I ask that you and your 
friends will vote for me from the opening of 
the polls even unto the closing of the same.” 
[Tremendous applause and loud cheering.] 

This startling speech, delivered with vigor- 
ous gestures and humorous parenthetical com- 
ments, lasted until the boys entered the school 
domain. Others gathered about the speaker in 
time to hear the concluding sentences, and 
friends of the candidate quickly acquainted 
them with the fact that Tad had decided to en- 
ter the contest for the coveted office of presi- 
50 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 


dent of the Athletic Association. The news 
passed rapidly from one to another before the 
day ended, and it was very generally known 
throughout the school when classes were dis- 
missed at the conclusion of the afternoon session. 

At the noon recess, Jack Winslow sought Tad 
and drew him aside into a quiet corner of the 
basement. 

4 4 Tad/ ’ he said earnestly, 4 4 why don’t you 
let that thing about Halsey get out now? You 
needn’t say anything very definite, of course. 
Just drop a few words here, and a hint there, 
and an intimation somewhere else. It soon 
would be all over the school, and a rumor like 
that would pretty nearly kill Halsey’s chances 
of election.” 

Tad shook his head in a gesture of positive 
dissent, as he replied decidedly, 4 4 No, Jack! 
If I ’d thought of doing anything about it, just 
for the honor of the school, or the good name of 
the class, I would n’t do it now, the way things 
have developed. Anyhow, I ’m going to give 
Halsey a chance to explain those physiology 
notes. He may not have had any idea of cheat- 
ing. I don’t believe in mud-slinging in a cam- 
paign like this — or in any other kind, for that 
51 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


matter. No, no, Jacko, old top! You needn’t 
fool yourself with the idea that I ’m going to 
circulate stories that would injure Halsey, even 
if I have a whole pile of evidence to prove that 
they ’re true. ’ ’ 

“I didn’t think you ’d do it,” Jack acknowl- 
edged, and there was a trace of disappointment 
in his tone. ‘ ‘ Anyhow, I brought you the sug- 
gestion for what it was worth.” 

“I know how you feel, old man,” Tad re- 
sponded, seizing Jack’s shoulders in a grip of 
fraternal comradeship. “You are crazy to 
have me win, and you want to help me along 
all you can. Also, you want me to do a little 
helping on the side. I ’m much obliged for 
your suggestion, even if I can’t use it. If you 
have any more, just bring ’em around. I ’m 
making a collection of them.” 

Jack laughed good-naturedly. “You ’re a 
great old Tad,” he declared. “You ’ve sized 
up the way I feel exactly. I don’t love Halsey 
well enough to care what stories you circulate 
about him. Still, I can understand how you 
feel, and I admire you for sticking up for your 
principles the way you ’re doing. ’ ’ 

Further discussion was interrupted by the 

52 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 


signal bell which sounded just then, and soon 
both boys were hard at work in the classrooms 
above. 

That evening, while the twins were supposed 
to be hard at work preparing their lessons for 
the next day, Tom noticed that his brother was 
writing a letter, the composition of which ap- 
peared to cause him considerable perplexity 
and anxious thought. Several times, Tom’s 
curiosity urged him almost to the point of in- 
quiring for whom the carefully worded missive 
was intended, but he restrained himself and 
prudently waited, hoping that time would re- 
veal the secret to him. 

Presently, Tad leaned back with a sigh of 
relief. 

1 1 There ! that ’s done ! ’ ’ he exclaimed, push- 
ing the paper across the table for his brother’s 
inspection. ‘ ‘Read that campaign document, 
Tommy, and see if you don’t think it ’s worthy 
a place among the famous letters of history.” 

Tom picked up the paper with undisguised 
interest, and this is what he read: 

Dear Bert: 

You and I have known each other for some time. We 
have been in meets together and have worked on the track 

4 53 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


team for a year in an attempt (pretty successful, I ’m glad 
to say) to uphold the honor of the school. For this reason, 
I don’t want to seem in any way unfriendly to you, and I 
hope you won’t misunderstand my meaning in sending you 
this letter. 

Some of the fellows have asked me to run for president 
of the Athletic Association. There seems to be no reason 
why I should n’t run, and I ’m willing to admit that I ’d 
like to have the place, so I have said that I would try for 
it. I shall not start an active campaign, nor do anything 
that will injure your chances of success. 

It seems only fair that I should tell you something that 
I noticed last June, and give you a chance to explain the 
matter. After the physiology exam, you walked home with 
Tom and me. Coming out of the gate, you reached up and 
swung on the iron bar, and we noticed that your cuffs were 
covered with shorthand notes. These seemed to have some- 
thing to do with the questions that we ’d had in the exam. 

I don’t like to think that you would do anything not 
absolutely on the square, so it seems the most friendly thing 
under the circumstances to tell you all about it, and give 
you a chance to explain. If I hear from you within a 
week, I ’ll know that everything ’s as you tell me. 

Tom and I saw the marks on your cuffs plainly enough, 
and so it’s likely that others did, too. Unless you square 
yourself now, some stories may get out (you know how 
such rumors do float around during a campaign) that will 
put a dent in your chances of success. 

Hoping that we shall remain good friends, in spite of 
our present rivalry, I am 

Fraternally yours, 
Thaddeus Townsend, Third. 

54 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 


“That’s all right, Tad!” was Tom’s com- 
ment. “It ’s a good, clear, straight-from-the- 
shoulder letter, and if Bert Halsey gets his hack 
np over it, he deserves to be suspected of cheat- 
ing.” 

“I hate to go around feeling suspicious of a 
fellow all the time,” Tad announced. “When 
you have nothing hut circumstances that look 
crooked, but may not be, on which to build your 
suspicions, it doesn’t seem hardly fair to sus- 
pect a fellow of anything like this. The least 
I can do is to give Halsey a chance to explain. ’ ’ 

“Suppose he does n’t take it; what then?” 

Tad shrugged his shoulders. “Then I sup- 
pose there ’s nothing to keep me from being as 
suspicious as I want to be,” he made answer, 
“but I think Bert ’ll be able to straighten out 
this whole snarl. I felt as if I ought to write to 
him, or tell him when I had a chance, that I ’d 
decided to run against him for president of the 
A. A. It seems more friendly that way than 
to leave the telling to the other fellows, and let 
Bert think I ’m afraid to do it myself. We ’ve 
always been good friends, and I don’t want to 
do anything now to hurt his feelings.” 

“Going to mail this to Bert?” 

55 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Yes. I have all kinds of money this week. 
I ’m rolling in wealth ! Why, I even can af- 
ford to buy a two-cent stamp to speed this 
tender epistle on its way,” and Tad sealed the 
envelope, marked it “Personal” in large let- 
ters, and went out whistling a merry tune. 

“He ’s a great old Tad,” Tom confided to 
his arithmetic. “He ’d be tickled to death if 
he won this election, yet, if he should n’t, you ’d 
never know that he cared a hoot.” 

And the arithmetic must have agreed, for it 
made no reply. 

The letter, over which Tad had worked so 
carefully, was handed to Gilbert Halsey as he 
left home for school on the morning following. 
He tore open the envelope, hut, just as he was 
on the point of drawing out the folded sheet of 
note-paper, one of his most zealous henchmen 
hailed him, and Halsey hurried across the 
street to discuss the progress of his campaign. 

He thrust the letter under the strap which 
held his hooks together, taking less care to 
make it secure than he might if he had sus- 
pected the nature of the message it conveyed. 
He walked slowly along, talking earnestly with 
his chief lieutenant, and swinging his books ab- 
56 


COUSIN WILLIE AND OTHERS 


sent-mindedly by the strap. After the bundle 
of books had sustained its third collision with 
posts and other solid objects, the letter was 
jarred so far from its original position that the 
light breeze caught it, and whirled it beyond 
the sidewalk, while Halsey passed on unheed- 
ing. 

A boy who had been walking some forty or 
fifty yards behind Halsey saw the incident and 
picked up the letter, intending to return it as 
soon as he could overtake Bert. Glancing at 
the envelope, he noticed the significant word 
1 6 Personal, ’ 9 and his curiosity was stirred. In 
justice to the boy, it ought to be said that he 
had no thought of serious wrongdoing when he 
slyly drew out the sheet and glanced at it. It 
was an act prompted chiefly by curiosity, al- 
though there was a trace of mischief, too. He 
fancied that it might contain some material 
wherewith to taunt the quick-tempered candi- 
date for office. 

Unfortunately for Halsey, this boy aspired 
to membership in that select coterie of which 
Simon Wagstaff was the leader and executive 
force. At once, he realized that the facts re- 
cited in this letter would give Simon an advan- 
57 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


tage over other candidates, so he permitted 
ambition to stifle the protests of conscience, and 
thrust the letter into an inner pocket for future 
use. 


58 


CHAPTER IV 


THE EXCITEMENT OF A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 

D URING the busy days that followed, Tad 
was encouraged by many assurances of 
support from friends in the school. True to 
the promise made in his letter to Gilbert Hal- 
sey, he conducted no active campaign, but con- 
tented himself with jocular references to his 
candidacy, and humorous promises to inaugu- 
rate all manner of impossible reforms, should 
he be elected. 

His friends, however, were not slothful, nor 
were they indifferent to the progress of the 
campaign. Though they used no spectacular 
methods nor any plan of action open to hostile 
criticism, they kept quietly and persistently at 
work. 

Lists of students were compiled and divided 
among Jack Winslow, Edgar Sherman, Tom, 
and a few more of Tad’s most intimate friends. 
The students thus listed were interviewed, the 
59 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


issues carefully explained, the candidates 
frankly discussed, and then the interview con- 
cluded with an appeal to vote for Tad. 

This loyal support was appreciated very 
deeply by Tad, hut he warned his friends that 
they must not “run down” the other candi- 
dates in order to help him. He threatened to 
withdraw from the race if he found that his 
campaign managers were using tactics unfair 
to other candidates, and, knowing that he would 
keep his word, they proceeded with great cau- 
tion. 

A week had passed since Tad had sent his 
letter to Gilbert Halsey, and no response or 
acknowledgment of any kind had been received. 
Tad was sorely disappointed, and was forced 
to admit with reluctance that his suspicions 
must grow stronger, instead of being swept 
away, as he had hoped they might be. 

One afternoon, Edgar Sherman .and Jack 
Winslow dashed into the gym, where Tad was 
practising for an interscholastic meet, and ex- 
citedly summoned him to a conference. 

Somewhat breathless, and decidedly warm, 
he left the track and followed them into the 
dressing-room. 


60 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


‘ 4 What ’s up now!” he panted, seating him- 
self on a bench. “Czar of Russia sent me a 
bomb?” 

“Something nearer home than that, Tad,” 
Edgar Sherman replied excitedly. “What do 
you think? There ’s a rumor around that Hal- 
sey had his cuffs covered with notes during the 
exams last June, and cribbed the whole thing. 
Everybody ’s talking about it, and a good 
many seem to think it ’s straight goods. That 
ought to mean a lot of votes for you.” 

Tad was startled. For a minute, a suspicion 
entered his mind that Jack had yielded to temp- 
tation far enough to share with others the 
secret which the twins had told him in confi- 
dence. Jack must have guessed what was 
passing through his mind, for he said quickly : 

“We don’t know how the report started, 
Tad. I give you my word that none of our fel- 
lows set such a story going. It came from 
somewhere outside, and seems to be all over 
school, but whoever is back of it has been so 
slick that we can’t locate him.” 

“Poor Halsey ! ’ ’ muttered Tad. “ I ’m sorry 
for him. It ’s awful for a fellow to have such 
a rumor going around about him.” 

61 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Is it true, Tad!” Edgar asked eagerly. 
“Do you know anything about it!” 

“As a rule, Ed, I don’t take much stock in 
these gossipy stories that float around about 
the different fellows,” was the quiet reply. 
“Some of them may he true, hut a lot of them 
are far from it. If this is true, we ’d better 
stick up for Halsey until he ’s proven guilty. 
If there should be nothing but hot air in the 
rumor, we ’ll feel a heap better afterward if 
we ’ve been among those who did n’t add any- 
thing to it as it went around.” 

There was a moment of silence, and then 
Jack said: 

“We thought we ought to tell you right 
away, Tad, so we hunted you up just as fast as 
we could get here.” 

“Much obliged!” Tad cried heartily. “I 
suppose you fellows think I ’m a cold-blooded 
dub, without much fighting spirit. I guess I 
am. Don’t think, though, that I ’m not grate- 
ful for all the work you fellows and the others 
are doing for me. If I ’m elected, it will be on 
account of the swell support you ’ve given me. 
A fellow couldn’t have better friends, and I 
want you to know that I appreciate your work. 

62 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


“As for this yarn about Bert, just say — let ’s 
see — ‘When interviewed, Mr. Thaddeus H. 
Townsend, Third, president-elect of the Ath- 
letic Association, said that he had nothing to 
say.’ ” 

“All right! We ’ll get out an extra!” 
laughed Jack. “Don’t let us keep you off the 
track any longer than you want to stay. 
We ’re counting on you, old man, to capture 
the quarter-mile in that interscholastic next 
week. ’ ’ 

They escorted Tad back to the gym, watched 
him trot around the track a few times, made 
sage comments upon his “form,” and upon that 
displayed by several others, then wandered out 
in search of further news. 

The final trials to pick the young athletes 
who should represent the school in this meet 
were announced for Friday afternoon of the 
week which is passing in review in this chapter. 
Tad had been so confident of being chosen for 
the quarter-mile that no other possibility had 
occurred to him, save as accident or illness 
might make another selection necessary. 

He was stunned, therefore, when Bert Hal- 
sey, captain of the track team, approached him 
63 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


on Friday during the noon recess, and an- 
nounced calmly: 

“Townsend, you needn’t come out this 
afternoon. Gray and I will represent the 
school in the quarter-mile.” 

The message was so completely unexpected 
that Tad did not recover from his surprise in 
time to make a reply. He was indignant that 
he should have been ruled out of the trials with- 
out explanation or excuse — he who had won so 
many points for the school during the months 
past. His first impulse was to resign from the 
track team and take no further part in school 
athletics. Then his sturdy common sense as- 
serted itself, and he realized how childish it 
would be to sulk in selfish discontent because an 
expected privilege had been denied. He re- 
solved to be loyal to the school, in spite of 
everything; to use his strength and skill in its 
behalf whenever such effort was required of 
him, and to accept quietly and with an outward 
display of serene good-nature such disappoint- 
ments as might come. He shrewdly suspected 
that the excitement of the campaign and per- 
haps a little feeling of jealousy had prompted 
the action of the track captain. 

64 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


Of course, he might have appealed to the 
director of physical work at the school, but that 
individual was devoting all his spare time to 
the football squad and had left the affairs of 
the track team entirely in the hands of its cap- 
tain, so Tad resolved not to disturb a busy man, 
but to swallow the unpalatable dose with as 
much self-control as he could muster. 

Much to the surprise of those students who 
flocked into the gymnasium after school, Tad 
did not appear among the contestants for the 
quarter-mile, nor had any one seen him enter 
the building after the ending of the school ses- 
sion. Only Tad and Bert Halsey knew the 
real reason for this absence, and Tad was 
over a mile away, tramping steadily along 
and humming a school song to reinforce his 
loyalty, while Halsey was savagely telling 
those who inquired that Tad was not going 
to run. 

Halsey did not say that Tad had refused to 
run, but he permitted this impression to go 
forth, and very quickly the rumor passed from 
group to group that Tad Townsend had de- 
clined to enter the approaching meet. 

65 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“ What ’s become of Tad?” Jack Winslow de- 
manded anxiously, drawing Tom a little apart 
from the crowd that thronged the sides of the 
track. “The fellows don’t know what to make 
of these stories that are going around.” 

“I wish I could tell you, Jack,” Tom an- 
swered in a troubled tone. “I saw him at 
noon, and he said nothing about any change in 
his plans. As far as I know, he expected to 
enter the trials to-day. He ’s been at work 
here in the gym every afternoon this week try- 
ing to clip a few seconds off his record. I 
don’t know what to make of this thing.” 

(It should be explained here that the meet- 
ing at noon to which Tom referred was previous 
to the announcement made by the track cap- 
tain. After that came, Tad was too greatly 
disturbed to think calmly, and so he had not 
told his brother of the sudden enforced change 
in his plans. In fact, he had not seen Tom 
since, except in the classroom, where school 
rules placed the ban of silence upon him. 
Hence, Tom was ignorant of the reason for his 
brother’s mysterious disappearance.) 

“I think it ’s a campaign trick,” Jack ob- 
served, glaring indignantly at Bert Halsey who 
66 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


passed just then. “ Halsey would like first 
rate to create the impression that Tad ’s a 
quitter. ’ ’ 

4 ‘ Maybe Bert thinks Tad started that yarn 
about cribbing the exams from those shorthand 
notes,’ ’ Tom suggested. 4 ‘If that ’s the case, 
it would be like him to keep Tad out of this 
meet, just for revenge. Being captain of the 
team, he could tell him not to run, and that 
would end it. It also would give him a show 
to make out that Tad had quit for some per- 
sonal reason.” 

“By George ! I believe you ’re right !” Jack 
cried. “I ’ll find out ! Ed Sherman ’s trying 
out for the four-forty relay. I ’ll get him to go 
to Bert Halsey and make him tell what game 
he ’s trying to play.” 

Jack hurried off, forcing his way through 
the crowd of boys until he located Edgar. To 
him, he related what had passed between him- 
self and Tom, ending with an urgent appeal for 
Edgar to see the track captain and force him 
to make an honest explanation. 

Edgar grunted uncertainly. “Halsey has 
one of his cranky spells on,” he announced, 
“but I ’m not afraid of him. I ’d just as lief 
67 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


stir him up as not ! Wait a bit and I ’ll tell you 
the result.” 

Five minutes passed — ten — fifteen. The 
first events were being contested on the track. 
Jack waited impatiently, wondering what had 
happened to the fleet-footed Mercury who had 
sped upon his errand. Presently, he saw this 
ambassador hurrying toward him. 

“You’re right!” Edgar announced. “Hal- 
sey ’s cross as two sticks, and I risked my neck 
in the cause. I asked him why Tad Townsend 
wasn’t running, and he snapped out that he 
was too busy to answer questions. I thought 
perhaps it might be a good idea to sort of take 
his mind off other things, so I tripped him up 
and sat on him. He was ripping! He could 
have chewed me up ! I just sat there until he 
had cooled off a bit; then I said, ‘Now, look 
here, Halsey! I want to know whether you 
told Tad not to run, and I shan’t get up until 
you give me an honest answer.’ 

“ ‘Yes, I did!’ he bellowed, loud enough for 
everybody around to hear. ‘He ’s too stuck 
on himself, and too sure of winning. He 
has n’t been showing good form lately. Gray 
has taken his place.’ 


68 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


“I thanked him politely, and hurried right 
back to tell you, hut he really seemed quite 
peeved at what I did. He said things to me as 
I left that were positively rude, don’t you 
know, not to say violent.” 

“I imagine he did,” Jack responded grimly. 
“He can when he gets started. That action is 
just a campaign trick, and you can see that 
Halsey ’s sore. Why, Gray can’t run! He ’s 
an ice-cart! If Halsey can’t use somebody 
better than Gray, he ’ll find that the school ’ll 
jump on him for bad management.” 

“You ’d better let it be known that Tad 
hasn’t quit because he wanted to, Jack,” 
Edgar suggested, “and I ’ll do all I can, too. 
There goes the signal for the four-forty. I ’ll 
have to appear on the scene,” and he hurried 
toward the track. 

Jack worked industriously, passing from one 
group to another and explaining Tad ’s absence. 
Whenever he discovered a particular friend 
who was working in the same cause, he drafted 
him into service, and for this reason certain 
students failed to see much of the spectacular 
elimination contests, so active were they in pro- 
moting the candidacy of Tad. 

5 69 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


In tlie evening, Jack and Edgar called at the 
Townsend home and found the twins in posses- 
sion, their parents having gone out. The li- 
brary was converted into a council-chamber, 
and the campaign managers eagerly discussed 
the prospects of their candidate. 

“I believe this latest stunt of Halsey’s will 
hurt him more than anything he could have 
done,” Jack asserted. “If the school gets left 
in the quarter-mile to-morrow night, it will 
cost him easily a hundred votes. He ’s work- 
ing to beat the band, trying to get fellows 
pledged to vote for him, but Tad is more pop- 
ular than Bert, and I ’m looking for his elec- 
tion, with votes to spare. The fellows have 
confidence in Tad, and that ’s more than they 
have in Bert Halsey.” 

“The winner has to have a majority of the 
votes,” Tom reminded them. “Tad may get 
more than Bert, or Simon, or the rest of ’em, 
but there are so many in the field to divide the 
whole number cast that I ’m afraid he won’t 
have enough. Why, just suppose the vote runs 
up to fifteen hundred. Tad would have to get 
seven hundred and fifty-one. That ’s an awful 
pile. ’ ’ 


70 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


“Oh, well! what ’s the use of fretting?” Tad 
responded cheerfully. “You fellows look as if 
you ’d put all your money in a hank that ’s just 
failed, with only enough left to give each de- 
positor a quarter of a cent on the dollar. If 
the fellows want me, they ’ll vote for me. If 
they don’t, they won’t, and you can’t make 
them.” 

“You don’t seem to be much worked up over 
it, Tad,” Jack remarked, “but then, I didn’t 
suppose you would be. I dare say you ’ll take 
a nap while the votes are being counted.” 

‘ 4 Might as well,” Tad replied with an amia- 
ble grin. “I can’t afford to miss my beauty 
sleep, you know.” 

And the others were sufficiently unkind to 
assure him that he spoke truly. 

The following evening brought the indoor 
fall meet of the New York City high schools, 
and a steady stream of spectators flowed 
through the main entrance of one of the great 
armories, while eager contestants swarmed 
about and through a smaller side door reserved 
for them. People began to arrive during the 
early evening, and before the time apointed for 
the start of the first event, the immense drill 
71 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


hall was packed with partizans of the compet- 
ing schools, while others were arriving con- 
stantly. 

It was a scene to make one’s heart beat 
faster — the great hall draped with flags, the 
enthusiastic spectators massed under the col- 
ors of the respective schools and waving their 
pennants eagerly whenever the cheer leaders 
gave the signal for one or another of the school 
yells, the busy, hurrying officials on the floor 
striving to arrange final details, the lightly clad 
athletes, wearing their school colors, trotting 
around the track or wandering restlessly about, 
wishing that their events might soon be called. 

Mr. and Mrs. Townsend had expected to at- 
tend the meet, with Tom as guide to explain the 
interesting points that an ordinary spectator, 
not closely in touch with school life, might miss. 
An unexpected business development, how- 
ever, called Mr. Townsend out of the city dur- 
ing the early evening, so Tad used his father’s 
ticket, and Mrs. Townsend had a twin on either 
side as she watched the exciting contests which 
meant so much to them. 

Tad outwardly was calm and unconcerned, 
yet there was a queer feeling in his heart — half 
72 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


regret, half resentment — as he watched the 
sturdy champions of his school, and remem- 
bered that, through no fault of his, he was a 
mere spectator instead of an actor in the stir- 
ring drama. 

“The quarter-anile comes next,” Tom an- 
nounced grimly, when the meet had been in 
progress more than an hour. “Now we ’ll 
see Halsey’s brilliant management come to 
grief.” 

Mrs. Townsend must have surmised what 
thoughts possessed Tad’s mind as the contest- 
ants took their places, for she reached across 
quietly, and placed her hand gently upon his. 
Through her glove, she could feel the tremor 
that indicated his distress, but he looked at her 
and smiled — a pathetic, mournful smile, but 
nevertheless a brave effort to appear cheerful. 
It was harder than he had supposed it would be 
to sit there and see another running in his 
place. 

All about him, students were cheering madly, 
while their elders exhibited a more dignified 
form of enthusiasm. Over and over, the name 
of Halsey was roared forth by voices that were 
becoming husky with vociferous use. Then a 
73 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


tense silence settled over tlie assembly as the 
starter raised his pistol. 

Bert Halsey and Gray were the sole repre- 
sentatives of the school, having defeated other 
candidates in trials held the previous day. It 
became apparent as soon as the starter’s pistol 
sounded that Halsey was nervously eager to 
demonstrate his speed, for he sprang forward, 
sprinted, and took first place. Several of his 
competitors made impulsive attempts to follow 
him, but prudently restrained themselves. 
Gray jogged along with the “rear guard” at a 
steady pace. 

“Grandstand starts mean tail-end finishes,” 
muttered Tad. “Halsey ’ll never in the world 
be able to hold that pace for the full quar- 
ter. ’ ’ 

Now the runners were quickening the pace. 
The race was half run. Now a man drew 
nearer to Halsey, still nearer, and a rousing 
cheer from a section across the armory showed 
that the leader had been passed. 

The excitement of the occasion, instead of 
nerving Gray to his best effort, seemed to have 
an oppressive influence upon him, for he ran 
less well than he had in the trials, and seemed 
74 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


utterly unable to get away from those who were 
falling behind in the race. 

Halsey had run himself out in the first half 
of the race, and now his stride faltered and his 
breath came in choking gasps. One after an- 
other drew up to him and forged ahead, so that, 
as they staggered up to the tape at the finish, 
only a narrow margin separated the track cap- 
tain from the last man. Gray finished sixth. 

There were no cheers in the section where 
Tad sat — only an excited buzz of conversation, 
and suddenly he became aware that heads were 
turning toward him, as if he might be figuring 
in the remarks of his fellow-students. 

Tad’s cheeks flamed, and he looked straight 
across the armory, though he could see noth- 
ing distinctly because of the confused, misty 
blur that, for the moment, clouded his vision. 

The Athletic Association met on the Monday 
afternoon following, and several candidates 
were nominated to succeed the retiring presi- 
dent. This was purely a formal action, since 
each of the nominees had been carrying on a 
more or less vigorous campaign for several 
weeks. Much business was discussed at the 
meeting, and several important matters settled, 
75 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


but the one of greatest interest to the school in 
general was the appointment of Thursday of 
that week for election day. The polls were re- 
quired to remain open from eight-thirty in the 
morning until three-thirty in the afternoon, and 
the announcement of the result was promised 
at assembly on Friday morning. 

The excitement and activity of the campaign 
became more concentrated and intense during 
these last few days. Tad tried his best to ap- 
pear unconcerned, but he admitted to Tom that 
“the bloomin' thing was beginning to get on 
his nerves/ ' 

Halsey had not spoken to him since the day 
when he had curtly notified him that he need 
not enter the try-outs for the recent meet. 
Jack and Edgar reported that he was cranky 
and “ grouchy/ ’ though working early and late 
to win the election. Rumor persistently whis- 
pered that Halsey had been guilty of some 
questionable scheme to refresh his memory at 
the June examinations. Moreover, the school 
very generally understood why it lost the quar- 
ter-mile run, and held Halsey responsible. 
Hence, his prospect of election became no 
brighter as the final day approached, though 
76 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


many npper-classmen had pledged their sup- 
port to him on principle, believing that Tad was 
too young for the office. Bert was a little more 
than a year older than Tad. 

Tuesday passed and Wednesday. Thurs- 
day was a period of suppressed excitement in 
the school, and rival campaign managers 
worked diligently to see that every available 
vote was cast. 

The assembled students in the large audi- 
torium on Friday morning were unusually rest- 
less, and the principal, shrewdly suspecting the 
cause, made the preliminary exercises as brief 
as possible. 

Then, drawing a folded paper from his 
pocket, he stepped forward, while a kind of 
tense stillness took the place of former confu- 
sion and restlessness. 

“I have an important announcement to 
make,” he commenced. “Our annual vote for 
president of the Athletic Association has been 
cast, and is large enough to assure us that it 
represents the sentiment — divided to be sure, 
but nevertheless genuine — of the entire student 
body. It is no light task to inspect and count 
more than fifteen hundred ballots, and to those 
77 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


who have spent their time and given so gener- 
ously of careful, painstaking effort to discover 
the result we tender our most profound thanks. 

“It is a self-evident fact that when several 
candidates strive for the same office, some must 
be disappointed. To those who have failed I 
bring the reminder that it is a pleasant thing 
to be thought worthy this office by so many 
voters, even though the number be insufficient 
to elect. 

“Loyalty to the school must be stronger than 
our loyalty to any candidate for a school office. 
Our duty is clear. We must lay aside all per- 
sonal feeling and support, to the limit of our 
ability, him whom the students have just elected 
to the presidency of the Athletic Association. 

“Bearing this thought in mind, I will ask you 
to listen to the report of the inspectors of elec- 
tion: 


Total number of votes cast. . 1,575 

Necessary to a choice 788 

Thaddeus H. Townsend, Third 798 

Gilbert Halsey 452 

Simon Wagstaff 213 

James Falkner 86 

Harold Bates 21 

Blank and Scattering 5 


78 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


Thaddeus H. Townsend, Third, is declared 
elected. ’ ’ 

An outburst of enthusiastic applause swept 
over the auditorium. Now that the election 
was over, it seemed as if the partizans of other 
candidates were willing to cheer the successful 
man in the spirit which the principal had so 
earnestly urged. 

There were calls for a speech, and the prin- 
cipal smilingly appointed two upper-classmen 
who sat near a committee to escort the presi- 
dent-elect to the platform. 

Very red of countenance, and horribly em- 
barrassed, Tad was led forward until he stood 
beside the principal. The students hushed their 
tumultuous applause to hear what he had to say. 

“ Gentlemen, I present to you the president- 
elect of the Athletic Association,’ ’ the principal 
announced. Then he stepped hack and Tad 
found himself alone on the platform, looking 
into more than fifteen hundred faces. It 
seemed to him that he could not breathe. 
Faces suddenly appeared everywhere, all 
turned toward him. He opened his mouth, but 
no sound came. A strong impulse to run away 
possessed him. 


79 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Then, quickly, the thought came to him that 
he must look highly ridiculous standing there 
where so many eminent men had stood, and for 
the same purpose — to address the school. The 
idea amused' him, and the cheerful grin which 
his friends so well knew appeared on his 
face. 

Just in time, Tad remembered to how to the 
principal, who returned it and seated himself. 
Then Tad took a deep breath and faced the 
school. 

“Fellows,” he began, “I didn’t get up any 
speech, because I was n’t sure that I ’d need it. 
If I ’d prepared one and had been defeated, all 
that time and work would have been wasted. 
Even as it ’s turned out, I ’d surely have for- 
gotten anything I ever thought of saying, when 
I got up here and found everybody looking at 
me. I ’m not strong on speeches, anyhow. I 
can work better. I think the Athletic Associa- 
tion needs work more than talk, so I ’ll quit my 
speech and get busy. 

“I thank all you fellows who voted for me, 
and forgive everybody who didn’t. Whether 
you voted for me or not, I hope you ’ll work 
hard for the A. A. It needs your support, and 
80 


A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN 


so does the whole athletic life of the school. I 
guess that ’s all I have to say just now.” 

The cheering started afresh as Tad hurried 
off the platform, and the principal wisely al- 
lowed the boys to liberate all their enthusiasm 
in a final burst of melody, by bringing the ex- 
ercises to a conclusion with the most popular 
school song, one that voiced sentiments of 
harmony, fellowship, and united effort. 


81 


CHAPTER V 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE CAMP TRUST 

I T was difficult for the school to settle into 
the routine of classroom duties after all 
this excitement, but that particular Friday 
brought the monthly tests, or written reviews 
of certain studies, and this ordeal quenched the 
last lingering spark of enthusiasm when the 
boys returned to their several classes. 

The morning passed before any of Tad’s 
friends had opportunity to congratulate him, 
but during the noon recess they quite over- 
whelmed him, so that he had difficulty in finding 
sufficient time for luncheon. 

“Well, Demosthenes!” cried Tom, seizing 
his brother and cordially thumping him on the 
back to express his delight. 4 4 That was a great 
oration you gave us this a. m.” 

Tad grinned amiably. “Say, I was scared 
to death !” he acknowledged. 4 4 It ’s awful ! 
82 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


You have no idea what it ’s like to stand up 
there all alone, with no one around you — ” 

‘ 1 It would be more sociable to stand up there 
all alone with a crowd around,” Tom com- 
mented. 

‘ ‘ That ’s what they all say ! Here comes 
Jack, and a whole bunch with him! — Thanks! — 
Yes, it was ! — Glad you think so ! — Yes, I hope 
so, I ’m sure! — Good of you to say that, old 
man! I appreciate it! — Yes, I didn’t know 
what to say! — Piffle! You always were a gas- 
bag! — Thanks, awfully! — Yes, and we ’re go- 
ing to count on your help! — Good! we need 
it! — Yes, I think it was! — ” and so on, until 
Tom, and Jack, and Edgar dragged him away 
and mounted guard over him while he ate his 
luncheon in some measure of peace. 

“ Hurry home after school, Tad,” his brother 
admonished him, when the first hell sounded its 
warning. “ I have a job that ’ll give us a little 
trip and fifty cents for the camp fund.” 

Tom had not permitted the excitement of 
the campaign to weaken his determination to 
spend his next vacation at the camp which 
he had so enthusiastically described to his 
parents. 


83 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Jack Winslow and Edgar Sherman had been 
admitted to the i 1 Camp Trust/ ’ as Tad in- 
sisted on calling it, and together these boys had 
deposited the sum of $5.67 with Tom, as the 
nucleus of the camp fund. 

To be sure, it would require at least seven 
hundred dollars to conduct the camp for the 
entire vacation season, but this fact did not 
trouble the cheerful quartette. They believed 
that the money would come, somehow, and 
proved their faith in the outcome by increasing 
the cash balance in the treasurer’s hands, 
whenever it was possible to do so. 

Mindful of his brother’s injunction, Tad 
slipped away from the students who were wait- 
ing after school to talk to the president-elect 
of the Athletic Association, and made such 
quick time on the homeward trip that he ar- 
rived at the house fully three minutes before 
Tom hurried in. 

i ‘What mighty deed of valor awaits us?” 
Tad demanded, drawing himself up to his full 
height and flourishing an umbrella as he might 
a sword. “What noble crusade promises this 
rich reward for the camp fund?” 

“A right honorable feat of arms,” Tom re- 
84 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


plied with a laugh. “Miss Spriggs, next door, 
wants us to take two suit-cases and a bag over 
to the West Shore Station.” 

‘ ‘ Hurray, hurrah, hurroo ! What ’s she got 
against the express companies?” 

4 4 One of ’em dropped her trunk off the wagon 
last year, and hurt its feelings quite some. 
She ’ll pay our fare, and give us fifty cents be- 
sides if we take ’em over and check ’em for 
her. She ’s going off to spend a few weeks up 
in the Catskills.” 

“She ’ll freeze!” 

“No, she won’t! They have mountain 
ranges up there to heat the country. Come 
along! She ’ll have a conniption fit if we ’re 
late.” 

The boys secured the baggage and the fee 
(which Miss Spriggs thoughtfully paid in ad- 
vance). Then they started toward Wee- 
hawken, the goal of their pilgrimage. 

“This has been a hard day for Halsey,” Tad 
remarked, when they were on the car. “I ’m 
afraid he ’s in bad now.” 

“Why? Anything new happened?” 

Tad nodded. “I sat right across the aisle 
from him this morning, and two seats behind. 
6 85 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


He was awfully disappointed at losing the 
election. You could see that he was all broken 
up when he came in. He just flopped into his 
seat, and sat staring at the desk without taking 
notice of anything. Pretty soon, he picked up 
his question sheet, and went to work like all 
possessed. I didn’t pay much attention to 
him after that, for some of those questions 
were corkers, and I needed all the time there 
was. Just before twelve, I finished. Then I 
looked across, and saw Halsey take a paper 
out of his pocket and open it. He seemed to 
be writing on it, and I remembered those notes 
on his cuffs, so I could n’t help wondering what 
this performance meant. 

“I guess ‘Prof.’ Butler must have spotted 
him, too, for he walked down the aisle, took my 
paper, then stopped just behind Halsey. Still 
Bert worked away, for all he was worth. All at 
once, Butler reached out and laid his hand on 
Bert’s shoulder, and I wish you could have seen 
him jump. J don’t believe he would have been 
worse frightened if some one had shot off a gun. 

“Then Butler said, ‘I ’ll trouble you for that 
paper, Halsey.’ You know what a deep, sol- 
emn, way-down-in-his-boots voice he has. It 
86 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


almost made me shiver to hear him. He 
picked it up, because Halsey was too scared to 
do any more than push it toward him. Just 
as he glanced over it, the bell rang, and all 
papers had to be handed in. Butler put this 
sheet in his pocket, and said, ‘ Report to me 
this afternoon after school, Halsey/ Then 
he went on and collected the few papers that 
were still out.” 

“ I missed that,” Tom replied. “I finished 
at a quarter of twelve, and went right down 
stairs after I handed in my paper.” 

“ Halsey must have been afraid to face the 
music,” Tad went on. “He didn’t show up 
this afternoon.” 

“Sick, maybe,” Tom suggested. 

Tad shrugged his shoulders doubtfully. 
“Perhaps the excitement of the election was 
too much for him. He looked kind of sick 
when Butler passed him those few cheerful re- 
marks.” 

“It does look bad,” Tom acknowledged. 
“Still, he can’t expect to dodge the conse- 
quences forever. Some day, he ’ll have to 
come back and take his medicine. It might as 
well be now as later. ’ ’ 


87 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


The twins discussed the matter all the way 
over to the railroad terminal, but they were no 
nearer to a complete understanding of the case 
than when they started, although it proved an 
interesting subject with which to enliven the 
conversation en route. 

After some little delay, they checked the bag- 
gage of their neighbor, and Tom put the checks 
away carefully in his pocket-book. 

“Let ’s wander around the station and im- 
press the natives,” Tad suggested. “There ’s 
plenty of time. Miss Spriggs won’t need these 
little souvenirs from the express company 
until to-morrow. Maybe, if only we can man- 
age to look the part, somebody ’ll think we ’re 
going up to Albany to give the governor a little 
advice. ’ ’ 

Tom laughed at the idea. “You ought to be 
dressed up in some kind of uniform, Tad, so 
people will know that you ’ve been elected to 
the presidency of the Athletic Association. 
Then we ’d attract attention whenever we ap- 
peared in public. Most likely, they ’d have to 
call out the reserves to keep the crowds 
back. ’ ’ 

Laughing and talking gaily, they entered the 
88 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


waiting-room, and wandered about, looking 
with much interest at the novel sights. 

Presently Tom cried, “What have we done, 
Tad? Here comes a cop hot on our trail.” 

Sure enough, a uniformed representative of 
the majesty of the law was walking toward 
them, waving his hand to attract their atten- 
tion. 

“He wants you , Tom,” Tad made haste to 
say. “You look like a suspicious character, 
and he ’s going to arrest your progress.” 

The officer was close to them now. 

“There ’s a boy over here,” he began ab- 
ruptly, and with a strong Irish accent, “and 
he ’s wearing a hat just like yours.” (The 
twins wore felt outing hats with bands that 
proclaimed their connection with the school.) 
“I Ve got boys of my own, and by the same 
token, I ought to know when a boy ’s in trouble. 
This one certainly looks upset. Maybe you 
know him. He ’s sitting over there in that cor- 
ner, and he ’s' been there for two solid hours — 
never taking notice of anything, but just look- 
ing down at the floor till you might think 
his eyes ’d bore holes in it. Take a look at 
him, boys. Maybe you can cheer him up a bit. 
89 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

I won’t be far off, in case yon need any 
help.” 

The twins were naturally kind-hearted and 
would have been quick to respond to this ap- 
peal, even if there had not been in it that which 
stimulated their curiosity. They could see a 
school hat-band in the corner which the friendly 
policeman had indicated, and toward it they 
now directed their footsteps. Soon they were 
near enough to recognize the wearer, and both 
boys were beyond measure surprised to dis- 
cover Gilbert Halsey in this unexpected place. 
They seated themselves on the bench, one on 
either side of the disconsolate track captain, 
but he did not rouse himself from his gloomy 
meditation sufficiently to recognize them. 
Finally, Tad leaned forward, and said in a low 
tone: 

“ Hello, Halsey! We didn’t expect to find 
you here.” 

The shock of discovery seemed to stun Hal- 
sey for a minute, and he looked at the boys 
without speaking. At length, he said bitterly : 

“I might have known that you ’d appear on 
the scene, Tad Townsend! You always seem 
to get mixed up in my affairs, when things go 
90 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


wrong. Perhaps that ’s what I ’m waiting 
for ! I Ve been hanging around this place for 
two hours, waiting for something — I don’t 
know what. That is, I didn’t know! Now, I 
think I do. I must have been waiting for you 
to come and gloat over finding me down and 
out. ’ ’ 

“Fiddlesticks!” Tad responded calmly, ig- 
noring Halsey’s manner. “What under the 
sun ’s up, anyhow?” 

“I ’m going away!” Bert declared excitedly. 
“Everything ’s gone against me, and I ’m 
clearing out, to begin all over again.” 

“Aw, cut the melodrama!” Tad advised. 
“The idea of you talking about beginning over 
again. You have lots of friends. You ’re do- 
ing well in school. You ’re captain of the 
track team, and one of the bright stars on the 
’varsity eleven. You ’re right in the inner 
circle of school athletics. WLat more do you 
want ? ’ ’ 

“There are a lot of ugly stories going around 
about me,” Halsey suggested sullenly. 

“Well, what of it? Did you ever know an 
election to pass without dragging out a lot of 
gossip about the different candidates?” Tad 
91 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


replied with a show of exasperation. “You ’re 
not a kid, Bert! Great Pompey’s goat! Can’t 
you stand a little talk ? ’ ’ 

“I don’t like to have my honesty doubted, 
and some of the stories made me out a sneak 
and a cheat,” Halsey retorted, with an air of 
injured innocence. 

“You ’re partly to blame for that, Bert,” 
Tad reminded him. “I wrote to you some 
little time ago, and asked you to explain a 
thing that looked queer. I never heard a peep 
out of you. Why didn’t you clean up the fuss 
when you had a chance?” 

“I never had any letter from you, Tad!” 

“You didn’t? Well, that ’s mighty strange! 
Tom read it before I sent it off, and then I went 
out and mailed it. It was one night, just about 
two weeks ago. You ought to have had it in 
the first delivery the next morning.” 

“Oh, I did get a letter!” Bert acknowledged, 
as his memory suddenly recalled the circum- 
stances. “It came one morning just as I left 
for school. I— I— lost it, before I read it.” 

This announcement paralyzed Tad with a 
sudden rush of conflicting emotions, so Tom 
took advantage of his brother’s condition of 
92 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 

amazed speechlessness, and continued the dis- 
cussion : 

“That ’s how your troubles began,” he de- 
clared. “Most likely, some fellow picked up 
that letter and read it. He found out from it 
that you had your cuffs covered with notes last 
June when you took physiology. He spread 
the report, and you blamed Tad and me. We 
never said a word about that thing to any one 
except Jack Winslow, and he can be trusted to 
keep his tongue from working when it ought 
not to. There was a good reason for telling 
him; otherwise we wouldn’t have let it out at 
all.” 

Halsey seemed bewildered, and it was a full 
minute before he spoke. 

“What a mess I’ve made of things!” he 
groaned finally. “I knew that you two fellows 
saw those notes on my cuffs, and of course I 
jumped at the conclusion that you started the 
rumor to spoil my election. I was so sore about 
it that I cut Tad out of the try-outs, and that 
lost the quarter-mile for the school. Natu- 
rally enough, the fellows blamed me for bad 
management, and for dragging personal feel- 
ing into school affairs. There wasn’t any 
93 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


chance of my election after the meet, and I 
knew that I had only myself to blame, bnt still 
that didn’t keep me from feeling sore and 
cross. Then, this morning, Butler caught me 
in another thing that looked queer, and I knew 
it would soon be reported all over school. 
Naturally, it would make fellows believe that 
the other story was true, even if they hadn’t 
thought so up to now. I felt desperate. I 
did n ’t care what happened to me, so I decided 
to get out.” 

“Well, the best thing to do now is to get back 
in again,” Tom declared, as Halsey paused. 
“You ’ve just lost your temper and blamed 
other people for things that ought to have 
been charged to your account. You can’t help 
anything by running away, and leaving all 
the snarls behind. Don’t you see that? Why 
don’t you get back there and straighten these 
things out, then make up your mind that you ’re 
going to keep a good grip on yourself?” 

“ That ’s easy enough to say,” Bert sighed. 

“Well, are you looking for soft snaps?” Tad 
cried, returning to the vocal combat. “Great 
Pompey’s goat! Do you mean to say that you 
can’t break up that habit of going ’way, ’way 
94 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


up in the air when things don’t suit you! 
Why, man, with your will power and common 
sense, you might jump on that thing so hard 
that it wouldn’t be an everlasting nuisance to 
you. ’ 9 

“Of course, nobody expects you to be a 
molly ! 9 9 Tom added. “You don ’t have to make 
a door-mat of yourself and let everybody walk 
on you, in order to show that you have your 
temper right where you want it. A fellow can’t 
help feeling mad once in a while, but he can 
help showing it in ways that are — er — violent. 
It ’s a matter of will power, Halsey, and that ’s 
one of your strong points. If you make up 
your mind that you ’re going to keep cool, don ’t 
you suppose you can do it? I don’t say it ’s 
easy! I don’t say you ’ll get there right away, 
but if you keep plugging away — why, you ’ll see 
a gain each time.” 

Halsey looked crestfallen and ashamed. His 
attitude of sullen resentment had vanished, and 
it seemed now as if his better nature would 
triumph in the conflict with his baser impulses. 

“You fellows have given me what I de- 
served,” he acknowledged with a degree of 
humility vastly different from the melodra- 
95 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


matic air he had at first assumed. “I guess I 
just needed somebody to sail into me like a 
Dutch uncle. If you ’d sympathized with me 
and pitied me, I ’d have been worse than ever. ’ ’ 

“It does n’t seem quite friendly to jump on a 
fellow this way, Bert,” Tad responded, “but 
we like you first rate and always have. We 
hate to see you losing good friends by being so 
cranky and unreasonable.” 

“My temper cost me the election,” Halsey 
muttered. 

He was silent a minute. Then he sprang to 
his feet and smote the back of the long bench. 

“I ’m going to conquer this thing!” he cried. 
“It ’s cost me too much, already! I ’m not a 
baby, and I ’ll just show everybody that I can 
control myself, now that I ’ve made up my mind 
to do it.” 

6 ‘ Bully ! ’ ’ Tad exclaimed, patting him on the 
back. 

“That’s the talk!” Tom added heartily. 
“Believe me, you ’ll have lots more friends if 
you stick to that program. Better come back 
with us now. We ’re going over on the next 
boat.” 

Bert hesitated a moment, then, with a sigh 
96 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


that probably expressed relief, moved toward 
the door, and the boys walked out together 
toward the ferry-slip. Tad looked back, as 
they left the waiting-room, and saw again the 
friendly face of the policeman. He nodded 
approvingly and waved his hand in a gesture 
of parting salutation — or perhaps it was ex- 
pressive of quiet congratulation at the happy 
ending of a drama that might have been a 
tragedy. 

‘ ‘ I suppose it ’s too late now to explain about 
those shorthand notes,’ ’ Halsey began, when 
they were on the boat, “but I ’d like you to 
know that I didn’t cheat. All my life, ever 
since I can remember, I ’ve been impatient. I 
can’t wait to see how things are coming out. 
In an examination, I want to know my per cent, 
just as soon as the thing ’s over. I used to look 
up the answers the minute I could get at my 
books, and then try to remember whether I ’d 
written that thing or some other. Now, the ex- 
ams are so long and hard that I can’t recall the 
whole lot of answers, so I take ’em down in 
shorthand whenever I have time. 

“Last June, you remember, we weren’t al- 
lowed to have any paper except the question 
97 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


sheets and two pieces from the regulation pads 
for answers. I finished long before the time 
limit, so I copied my answers in shorthand on 
my cuffs, until there was no more room. 

* 1 Same way this morning! I was taking 
down a copy of my answers in shorthand when 
Butler grabbed me. This time, I used another 
piece of paper and saved laundry bills, but 
otherwise it was about the same performance 
as last June. If Butler ’d had time to translate 
the hen-tracks, of course he ’d have seen 
through the whole business, but the bell rang 
just at the wrong time, and he had to collect the 
rest of the papers. I suppose he jumped at the 
wrong conclusion ! ’ ’ 

“Well, it was the only thing he could do,” 
Tom made answer. “Why didn’t you go to 
him and square yourself!” 

“I can see now that I made a bad break by 
not doing that,” Halsey admitted, “but I sim- 
ply went up in the air, and hardly knew what I 
was doing. I think I ’ll call on him to-morrow. 
I know where he lives. That ’ll be the first 
step back toward where I want to get.” 

“Does anybody know that you skipped!” 
Tad asked. 


98 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


“Only yon two. My folks are away for the 
day, and won’t be home nntil dinner-time.” 

“Well, we won’t say anything abont it,” Tad 
assured him, “and if the fellows want to know 
what became of yon, just tell them that yon 
went to Jersey. That ’ll be perfectly true — 
why yon went is none of their business.” 

They had crossed the river now, and were 
back on the New York shore, where their ways 
separated. Halsey held out both hands, and 
the twins each grasped one. 

“Yon fellows have done a big thing for me,” 
he said gratefully. “I ’ll never forget it, and 
— and — I ’m mighty sorry for the mean way 
I ’ve acted toward yon.” 

“Forget it,” Tad responded cheerfully. 
“I ’m glad we found yon there, Bert. It ’s a 
good thing we had to go over to the station this 
afternoon, although, when we started out as 
baggage-smashers, we never expected to end up 
as foreign missionaries.” 

“You can count on us, Bert, as long as you 
stick to the program you ’ve mapped out,” Tom 
declared, and then they separated with feelings 
of mutual satisfaction and good will. 

The twins had much to talk about as they 
99 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

rode homeward, and it was not long before Tad 
proposed that Halsey be added to the party of 
campers. 

“It ’ll kind of brace him up,” he argued, 
“and give him a few friends who ’ll stick up for 
him if he strikes another snag. ’ ’ 

Tom agreed with enthusiasm, chiefly, it must 
be admitted, on account of the older brother 
who seemed so well qualified to act as camp 
director. The twins agreed, however, that it 
would be wiser to wait a while and see if Bert 
“made good.” 

With this idea in mind, they watched him 
critically for a week or two. Matters by this 
time were progressing so favorably that the 
proposal was submitted to J ack and Edgar, who 
gave a whole-hearted assent to the proposition 
to admit Halsey to the Camp Trust. Then 
Tom interviewed the candidate, told him of 
all their hopes and ambitions, and won his 
eager consent to “cast in his lot” with the 
others. 

It was not long after that Jack proposed his 
friend, Walter Cornwall, for membership in the 
Trust. Walter was a quiet, well-bred boy who 
had entered high school at the beginning of the 
100 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


term. The others knew him well and liked him 
much, so he was unanimously voted in. 

The entire company wanted Alexander Beck- 
ley (who always was called “ Lefty’ ’ by the 
boys, partly because he was a left-handed 
pitcher, and partly, as Tad explained, because 
he “got left” so often). He won the consent 
of his parents after the Trust had called en 
masse upon them, and explained what it was 
hoped to accomplish. 

Lefty was a noisy, jolly, happy-go-lucky fel- 
low, full of mischief, irrepressibly cheerful, and 
unusually tender-hearted — a quality which he 
sometimes tried to hide with a sort of gruffness 
which never deceived any one who knew him at 
all intimately. 

Lefty discovered the fact that a classmate, 
Eliot Fernard by name, was laboring under the 
handicap of poor health (he seemed by instinct 
to discover any one in trouble within a mile of 
him), and had been advised to get out into the 
country as soon as warm weather returned. 
This seemed entirely beyond the resources of 
the family, so Lefty gave the Trust no peace 
until Eliot was made unspeakably happy by 
being admitted to the fellowship. The others 
7 101 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


were thankful many times during the weeks 
that followed that he was in their company, be- 
cause he had a vast store of practical knowl- 
edge, and, as Jack once said, “No matter what 
you want to do — anything from making ginger- 
tea to building a house — Eliot always knows 
seventeen ways to do it, and they ’re all right, 
too.” 

Charlie Hayes was added to the Trust just 
before the Christmas holidays, after Walter 
Cornwall had worked quietly and tactfully for 
some weeks to accomplish this end. Charlie 
was small for his age, but what he lacked in 
stature, he made up in activity. He was a 
bright, lively fellow, wholesome and friendly, 
cool-headed and sensible, and his fellow-camp- 
ers-to-be liked him better and better the more 
they associated with him. 

Wilbur Halsey (he wasn’t “Doctor” yet, 
though his friends took delight in giving him 
the honorary title) came home from medical 
college to spend the Christmas holidays. Bert 
told him about the proposed camp before he 
had spent twenty-four hours under the parental 
roof, and after the young man had received an- 
swers to all his questions, and had been given 
102 


HALSEY DISCOVERS THE TRUST 


a frank description of the characteristics of 
each proposed camper, he agreed to meet with 
them and talk things over. 

As a result of this meeting, he took so strong 
a liking to this company of merry, wholesome, 
sturdy fellows that he agreed to manage the 
camp if, at the beginning of the vacation period, 
he found himself at liberty to undertake the 
work. 

The boys were strongly drawn toward this 
genial, sensible, thoughtful young man, and 
ardently hoped that no unfortunate circum- 
stances would prevent him from going with 
them to camp. 

The weeks passed, and still the Trust con- 
sisted of nine boys and the camp leader. Re- 
membering Cousin Willie, the twins believed 
that it was wiser to have a vacancy in the ranks, 
in case it should become possible to add him to 
the party without serious danger to his “life, 
liberty, and pursuit of happiness/ ’ or to that 
of the other boys. 

The passing days were filled with many 
duties, for most of the boys had to earn and 
save a large part, if not the entire amount, of 
their summer expenses. All manner of er- 
103 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


rands and odd jobs, all sorts of after-school 
enterprises and Saturday employments, were 
used as means of swelling the fund which grew 
steadily larger in a way which might have 
smitten even the mightiest of trusts with envy. 

Then, one night, the tenth camper was added 
to the party, making it complete, and of this 
achievement the next chapter will speak. 


104 


CHAPTER VI 


THE TENTH CAMPER 

W HAT will we call our camp?” Tad asked 
one evening when the Trust was in 

session. 

“Camp Townsend,” Jack suggested prompt- 
ly. “You two fellows started this thing going. 
If it hadn’t been for you, most likely the rest 
of us would be thinking of staying right in this 
peaceful village all summed ’ ’ 

“No, that wouldn’t do,” Tom hastily inter- 
posed. “We don’t want to have things named 
after us just yet. Let ’s take all our initials, 
and see if we can’t work out a good combination 
that way.” 

“Glorious start!” muttered Lefty Beckley. 
“Four T’s, two W’s, a G, and a J. We ’d bet- 
ter call it Camp Consonant.” 

They toiled over the problem for some min- 
utes, but no happy solution was reached. The 
initials of the several boys furnished so few 
105 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


vowels that it was almost impossible to arrange 
any combination that did not sound like the 
name of a Welsh village. 

“ There ’s no use talking,’ ’ Tad announced 
finally, throwing down his pencil in despair. 
‘ ‘ Some of you fellows ’ll have to change your 
names. The best I can do with such a job lot 
of initials is Hestabeth.” 

“Hestabeth? Who is she, Tad?” Lefty 
wanted to know. 

“Camp Hestabeth wouldn’t be so bad,” 
Charles Hayes remarked. “How do you spell 
it, Tad?” 

“I-t.” 

“You don’t say! You’re a good speller, 
are n’t you? I meant, how do you spell Hesta- 
beth?” 

‘ 4 H-e-s-t-a-b-e-t-h. ’ ’ 

“Hm-m ! Why, that has only nine initials in 
it. Here ’s one with eleven — Whattebechs — 
W -h-a-t-t-e-b-e-c-h-s. ’ ’ 

“Eureka!” Jack Sherman cried. “Camp 
Whattebechs ! Do you put a question-mark 
after it, Charlie?” 

“Camp Whattebechs is a pretty name,” 
Lefty commented, “but somehow it seems to 
106 


THE TENTH CAMPER 


smite the ear unpleasantly. We want a name 
with lots of music in it — one that does n’t sound 
like drawing a stick along a picket fence. Now 
I flatter myself that I have found just what we 
want. Camp Fatgesbewt — F-a-t-g-e-s-b-e-w-t. 
How does that strike you?” 

“It strikes me all over at once,” Edgar Sher- 
man grunted. “I don’t believe we ’ll be able 
to make anything out of this jumble of letters. 
I see, though, that we have four T’s in the col- 
lection — Tad Townsend and Tom Townsend. 
Why not call it Camp Four-T ? ’ ’ 

“Mixed tea would be better,” Tad observed. 
“What we want is a good Indian name.” 

“That ’s what I think,” Lefty added. 
“Camp Snake-in- the-Grass, or something like 
that.” 

“Isn’t there some mountain up there?” 
Eliot Fernard wanted to know. “We might 
use that for a camp name.” 

“Split Rock Mountain and Coon Mountain 
are the nearest.” 

“Is that so? Well, there ’s not much prom- 
ise there, I ’m afraid, but did n’t I hear you say 
it was near Beaver Creek?” 

“Why, yes, it ’s just a few miles above it.” 

107 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


4 ‘Who knows the Indian name for beaver f” 
“ Eliot shows his usual sense in appealing to 
the Indians present,” Lefty commented in a 
stage whisper. 

“ There ’s an Indian in front of that cigar 
store up the block,” Tad suggested, reaching 
for his hat. “ I ’ll go and ask him. ” 

“You needn’t bother,” replied Tom, who 
had been looking in the bookcase. “We have 
a copy of ‘ Hiawatha ’ here, and there ’s a list in 
the back giving a lot of animals and other 
things with their Indian names. I ’ll run across 
it in a minute. Yes, here it is!” 

‘‘He ’s so handy to have around,” Lefty 
murmured. “ ‘Simple helps for little learners’ 
is n’t needed when — ” 

“Ah, here you are!” Tom interrupted. 
‘ ‘ Beaver — Ahmeek — A-h-m-e-e-k. ’ ’ 

“That ’s a good name,” Tad said promptly. 
“Ahmeek! The meek shall inherit the earth.” 

“I ’d rather have a simple, pretty name like 
Fatgesbewt,” Lefty remarked, “but I have a 
sweet disposition, gentlemen, and I ’ll not in- 
sist on my suggestion. However, it seems to 
me Ahmeek has a sort of Arabic sound ; I might 
even say gum arabic.” 


108 


THE TENTH CAMPER 


“Sounds like a Persian rug!” Gilbert Hal- 
sey grunted. “Let ’s cut out the foreign stuff. 
Why not talk English and call our place Camp 
Beaver ? ’ ’ 

“A good idea!” Jack exclaimed. “Bee — 
beaver — beefsteak. We ’ve been working like 
busy bees and busy beavers. The beefsteak 
awaits us.” 

“I hope so,” Tom remarked dolefully, “but 
I ’m afraid we won’t have anything but bean 
soup and prunes unless we raise some more 
money. ’ 9 

“Aren’t we going to make it?” Jack asked 
in dismay. 

“It ’s a big thing, of course, to raise so much 
money,” Tom went on, drawing a memoran- 
dum book from his pocket. “We ’ve worked 
hard, every one of us, and saved all we could, 
yet we ’re quite a bit behind. We figured on 
ten fellows when we began to make plans, and 
there ’s been only nine. That makes the total 
amount saved considerably less than what it 
would have been if ten fellows had worked for 
it. Then again, our expenses at camp will be 
about the same for nine fellows as for ten, yet 
it makes the amount that each one has to raise 
109 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


just that much greater, because you ’re dividing 
by nine instead of by ten.” 

“Tom talks like an arithmetic,” Lefty ob- 
served. “Why not divide by ten, anyhow? 
It ’s much easier than by nine. ’ ’ 

“How can we?” Tom demanded in exaspera- 
tion. “We have only nine fellows.” 

“Get another,” Lefty suggested laconically. 

“I know of one,” Tom responded slowly and 
with evident embarrassment. “He ’d help out 
our cash balance, all right, but I don’t know 
whether you fellows will want him. He ’s a 
kid cousin of ours — an awful baby, and spoiled, 
too, but his folks have just barrels of money, 
and they ’d be mighty glad to pay us for taking 
him.” 

“He ’s a kid — one point against him,” Lefty 
announced. “He ’s a baby — two points. He ’s 
spoiled — three points. But he has money, and 
we need it — six points in his favor, leaving him 
three to the good. I ’m in favor of gathering 
in the said cousin.” 

“How much money do we need, Tom?” 
Edgar asked. 

Tom consulted his note-book. “Well, alto- 
gether we have four hundred thirty-nine dol- 
110 


THE TENTH CAMPER 


lars and sixteen cents. That ’s doing well, and 
I don’t see how we could have earned much 
more. Yet it isn’t enough. It’s the last of 
May now, and there are only a few weeks left 
to increase that to eight hundred and sixty dol- 
lars.” 

There were exclamations of surprise from 
the boys who thus were brought face to face 
with a financial crisis in the affairs of the 
Trust. 

“We didn’t realize what a big job we ’d 
tackled, ’ ’ J ack observed in a disappointed tone. 
“We thought, if we all hustled, the money 
would come — somehow.” 

“Of course, there ’ll be more coming in,” 
Tom remarked consolingly. “At the rate 
we ’ve been piling up money lately, we ’ll have 
about five hundred dollars when school closes. 
Then, some of you fellows are getting money 
from your folks to help out your expenses. 
There ’s a hundred and seventy-five dollars that 
I know of promised from different ones, and 
maybe we can get a little more. We have some 
interest, too, on the money we ’ve had on de- 
posit, so, altogether, we won’t be shy much over 
a hundred and fifty dollars.” 

Ill 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“What makes it cost so like thunder, Tom?” 
Charlie Hayes asked. “We ’re not going to a 
stylish place. I should think we might manage 
to worry along on less.” 

“We might, Charlie, hut I would n’t like to 
take a chance of getting up there and having 
our cash run out. Suppose we have ten fel- 
lows and Doctor Halsey. We ’d need two hun- 
dred dollars for rent, a hundred and ten for 
traveling expenses, and not less than five dol- 
lars a week for each one’s share of the cost of 
food and supplies. You see, we ’re not hiring 
a furnished camp, so we ’ll have to buy dishes, 
cooking things, and such stuff, besides sup- 
plies. Five dollars a week from eleven people 
equals fifty-five dollars. Multiply that by the 
number of weeks, and you get five hundred and 
fifty dollars for the season; and this plus rent 
and traveling expenses equals eight hundred 
and sixty dollars. That ’s the way it works 
out. You see, it wouldn’t be safe to figure on 
less. Of course, we ’ll pay Doctor Halsey’s 
expenses. I was afraid we ’d have to hire some 
one to run the camp, but as long as he ’s been 
kind enough to do the work for nothing, it ’s up 
to us to take care of him. ’ ’ 

112 


THE TENTH CAMPER 

‘ 4 Then — what did you say his name was — 
that kid cousin of yours f ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Ainsworth, Lefty. William Langley Ains- 
worth, Junior.” 

1 ‘ Then your proposition is that we annex 
Cousin Willie, and incidentally some of his 
dad’s cash?” 

Tom nodded. “If he went anywhere to 
camp, it would cost his father at least a hundred 
and fifty dollars. He may as well pay that to 
us as to some outsider, and we need the money. 
In fact, we can’t run our camp more than six 
weeks unless we get it.” 

“You see, it ’s a question whether our long- 
ing for Willie’s cash is stronger than our long- 
ing to get along without Willie,” Tad ex- 
plained. 

There was a moment of silence. Then Gil- 
bert Halsey asked, “How old is the kid?” 

“About twelve.” 

“He ’s bigger than Charlie, is n’t he?” 

“Go on!” protested the affronted Charlie. 
“If he is, he must be a wonder. I ’m growing 
like a weed. Everybody says so.” 

“What kind of a weed?” Lefty asked im- 
pressively. 


113 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Why, a — a — milkweed.” 

“Good! Keep it up and you ’ll grow to be a 
milkman. ’ ’ 

“Does your cousin want to come with us, 
Tom?” Walter Cornwall asked. 

4 4 Oh, yes ! He ’s crazy to go to camp, and 
he ’d rather go with our crowd than to one of 
these private camps where he would n ’t know 
anybody.” 

“By which we perceive that Cousin Willie 
is a wise youth,” Lefty solemnly observed. 
“Even a child is known by the company he 
keeps. Where could he find — er — more inspir- 
ing fellowship, more agreeable society, more 
— more — ah! — words cannot do justice to my 
feelings.” 

“Let him come,” Halsey urged. “We need 
the money for camp expenses, and his father 
will be glad to pay it for the sake of having the 
kid with some one he knows, instead of with 
strangers. Of course, he ’ll be paying more 
than the rest of us, but we ’ll earn that money, 
I ’m thinking, before the summer is over. The 
youngster will be more or less of a nuisance, I 
suppose, but we don’t need to be afraid of tak- 
114 


THE TENTH CAMPER 


ing him. It will be a pity if the nine of us can’t 
handle him.” 

“He ’s not to have any favors, you know, or 
any special privileges on account of being re- 
lated to us,” Tad observed. 

“Don’t worry! He won’t have!” Lefty de- 
clared, with a wink at the others. 

“He ’s not a bad kid, ’way down under all 
the rubbish that you ’ll notice,” Tom urged in 
defense of his cousin. “He ’s an only child, 
and, as I said, his father has lots of money, so 
the kid ’s been spoiled. He ’s had his own way 
so long that he expects everybody to give in to 
him, just as they do at home.” 

“We ’ll soon take that out of him,” Halsey 
muttered. 

“That ’s what he needs,” Tom went on. “I 
think when once he finds that he can’t rule the 
roost, he ’ll settle down and really be very 
decent. He ’s been coddled so much that he ’s 
never had half a chance. I believe the summer 
will be the making of him. ’ ’ 

“Or the breaking of him,” Lefty added. 
“Now, dear children, all those who want to be 
missionaries and help poor little Willie, hold 
115 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


up their hands. One — two — that ’s it, dear, 
put it ’way up! — three, four, five, six, seven, 
eight, and your dear teacher does, too. That 
makes nine, doesn’t it? Why, we all want to 
be kind to poor little Willie ! Yes, yes, no cross 
words for little Willie — never, never! Now 
let us sing the new hymn that we learned last 
week, ‘Kind Words Can Never Die.’ ” 

The boys howled with laughter, as Lefty 
commenced to sing the ancient melody, and the 
Trust adjourned in hilarious spirits. 

Thus was William Langley Ainsworth, Jun- 
ior, voted into the party of campers, which now 
was complete. 


116 


CHAPTER. VII 


THE EXODUS 

D O you realize that school closes three weeks 
from to-morrow, and we haven’t bought 
a single thing yet for the camp?” Tom asked 
suddenly, looking up from his books one night, 
when the twins were at work on their lessons. 

4 4 That ’s so ! ’ ’ Tad agreed, elevating his 
fountain-pen and gazing at the ceiling. “What 
do we need?” 

“Dishes, cots, cooking things, a stove, an ice- 
cream freezer — oh ! lots of things. ’ ’ 

“Most likely, you ’ll get up there and then 
find that you ’ve overlooked something that 
you ’re sure to need the worst way — like pins 
or matches.” 

“We ’d better put things down as we think 
of ’em, and then take a day off on Saturday for 
a shopping trip.” 

“That ’s a good idea! We ’ll invite Cousin 

3 117 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Willie to take us around in the auto, if the folks 
are not going to use it. That ’ll save carfare 
and tickle him to pieces. Besides, if he ’s go- 
ing to be a Beaver Camper, he ’s got to get used 
to chipping in with his mite, even if, as in this 
case, it happens to be an automobile.” 

“I wonder if any of the fellows can go with 
us,” Tom went on. “I don’t like to take the 
responsibility of buying all the equipment.” 

“Most of ’em will he working on Saturday. 
Lefty has a game on in the afternoon. Walter 
Cornwall is going out of town to see his grand- 
mother in the fond hope that she ’ll make a con- 
tribution toward his expenses. Who is there to 
go?” 

“There doesn’t seem to be anybody left, 
Tad. Well, the fellows can tell us what they 
want, and we ’ll try to get it. We ’ll invite 
them to go with us on the shopping trip, too, 
and then if they don’t accept our kind invita- 
tion it won’t do for them to make a kick after- 
ward. ’ ’ 

Tad agreed that this would be a prudent 
course to follow, so the Trust held an extraor- 
dinary session in the school basement on the 
following afternoon. Tom explained the pur- 
118 


THE EXODUS 


pose of the assembly, and invited his fellow- 
campers-to-be to go with himself and his 
brother on their proposed shopping trip. As 
he had anticipated, various good reasons were 
given to excuse the others from going. Lefty 
made a partial promise to lend the inspiration 
of his presence, but he could not be more 
definite at that time. 

“Well, we can’t put it off any longer, fel- 
lows,” Tom declared. “We ought to order 
everything on Saturday, because it ’ll be 
shipped by freight, most likely, and you never 
can tell when it will get there. If you don’t 
help to buy the stuff, we won’t expect you to 
make any kicks when you see what has been 
bought. Now the question is, what do we 
want!” 

“A steam yacht,” Lefty promptly suggested. 

‘ ‘ Chase yourself ! ’ ’ cried Jack. ‘ 4 Tom means, 
what do we need, not what do we want.” 

“Is there anything up there in the way of 
equipment?” Walter asked. 

“Nothing but two rowboats and the oars.” 

“Let ’s commence with breakfast, and go 
right through the day,” Lefty suggested. 
“Knives, forks, spoons, oatmeal bowls, pitch- 
119 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


ers, plates, cups, saucers, napkin rings, muffin 
rings, breakfast bell rings — ” 

4 ‘ Hold on! bold on a minute !” Tom begged. 
“ I ’ve put down two sizes of plates, cups and 
saucers, bowls (big and little), platters, knives, 
forks, spoons, tablespoons, coffee pot, pitchers, 
salt and pepper shakers, frying-pan, baking 
pan, pancake turner, two sizes round pans, and 
pails — quart pails and water pails.” 

‘ ‘ I should think they would pale at that list, ’ ’ 
Lefty commented. “No napkin rings, or finger 
bowls, or bread-and-butter plates — ” 

“You ’ll need something to heat water in,” 
Eliot Fernard interrupted, ignoring Lefty’s 
complaint. “Of course, you could use one of 
the iron pails, if you are getting that kind, but 
don’t you think a wash-boiler might come in 
handy?” 

Tom nodded, and added this article to his 
list. 

“I don’t suppose there is a laundry on the 
next block to the camp, is there?” Charlie 
Hayes inquired innocently. 

He was promptly informed that the nearest 
institution of the kind was far removed from 
the camp site. 


120 


THE EXODUS 


“Well, then, yon ’d better take along a conple 
of irons. Some of the fellows may get fussy, 
and want to do some washing and ironing.’ ’ 

“Why not go into the business, Charlie ?” 
Edgar asked. “Mrs. Charlie O’Hayes, shirts 
executed at short notice. Once tried, always 
used. The old reliable!” 

But Charlie could not he persuaded to enter 
this profession. 

“How many hammocks have we in the 
crowd?” Bert asked. 

An inventory revealed one. 

“Better get a couple of good ones, extra 
strong,” he advised. “They ’re not very ex- 
pensive, and we ’ll be glad we have ’em lots of 
times. See if we ’re not.” 

“Bert has got his mind on the moonlight 
nights,” Lefty remarked slyly. “How about 
baseball supplies ? Are we pretty well stocked 
up?” 

Every one began talking at the same time in 
response to these questions, but out of the babel 
of tongues it was possible to learn that every 
camper possessed a glove of some sort, and 
there were a dozen hats available, as well as a 
catcher’s mask, mitt, and chest protector. 

121 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

“We need some baseballs/ ’ Lefty announced. 
“Better buy 'em here, hadn’t we? Suppose 
each fellow gets one and brings it along. 
We ’ll have enough then, and it ’ll save a little 
of the camp money. We don’t want to spend 
any more of that than we ’re absolutely obliged 
to.” 

“Well, is there anything else we need in the 
way of dishes and kitchen supplies?” Tom in- 
quired. “Let ’s get that settled before we go 
wandering off into other things.” 

“Did you say you had a can-opener on your 
list, Tom?” Eliot asked. 

“No, I forgot that. We ’re sure to need 
one. ’ ’ 

“Yes, it ’s easier to open a convention than 
a can, if you don’t have a can-opener,” Lefty 
declared. “We need one of those things, also 
a corkscrew and an ax. That ’s a good com- 
bination — if the can-opener and the corkscrew 
fail, just use the ax. Let ’s see ! You have n’t 
any tools on your list, Tom, have you? We ’ll 
need a hammer, a screw-driver, a saw, a 
monkey-wrench, a gimlet, and a chisel. We 
can’t very well get along without these. In 
fact, we could use a few more very comfortably, 
122 


THE EXODUS 


but I guess we can manage with the few that I 
just mentioned.’ ’ 

“Who ’s going to cook?” Jack wanted to 
know. 

“We ’ll take turns,” Tom informed him. 
“Ten fellows, ten weeks — each one will be cook 
for a week.” 

“Well, when I ’m cook, you ’ll get pancakes 
for breakfast, because I know how to make 
them,” Jack responded. “Have you got a 
griddle? Just think of being right up in the 
maple syrup country and having pancakes for 
breakfast.” 

“Huh! Don’t fool yourself with happy 
dreams,” Bert Halsey advised cynically. 
“You ’ll probably find that all the ‘pure Ver- 
mont maple syrup’ has been sent to market, 
and you ’ll have to put up with something no 
better than what you can buy at the corner 
store.” 

“You wait and see,” Jack retorted, with 
faith unshaken. “Now then, for one thing, I 
like mashed potatoes. Have you got a potato 
masher? We need a chopping bowl and a meat 
chopper, too, and when I ’m cook I want a quart 
measure. Far be it from me to guess how much 
123 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

a pint is, or a half -pint. I ’d surely spoil 
something, and it ’ll he cheaper to buy a meas- 
ure.” 

Tom nodded, and added these articles to his 
list. 

“What are yon going to use for a rolling- 
pin ?” was the next question. 

“Oh, do we need one of those things ?” Tom 
responded. 

“Might as well tack it on,” Tad replied. 
“Of course, you could use a clean bottle or a 
can that hadn’t been opened. You could get 
along without a potato masher, and use a fry- 
ing-pan instead of a griddle, but what ’s the 
use? The cost of these things won’t break us, 
and we ’ll be a lot more comfortable. It strikes 
me that we need lanterns, too, and a big ladle 
will come in handy. I suppose we might be 
real dressy and have a few wash-basins in our 
boudoir, even if there is one over a hundred 
miles long, right in our front yard.” 

“Not all of it!” Lefty protested. “It would 
make the said front yard a bit moist.” 

“Better have a strainer, too,” Eliot sug- 
gested, “and — how about the dishes, Tom? 

124 


THE EXODUS 


Are you going to have ’em wiped after they ’re 
washed, or just let nature take its course?” 

“Oh, I suppose it won’t do to let them dry 
any old way,” Tom replied. “We ’ll need 
some dish towels, won’t we?” 

He entered this item on his list, then added 
soap, matches, an ice-cream freezer, and rock 
salt, as they were suggested. Then the assem- 
bly entered upon a discussion of the stove ques- 
tion. 

“I shouldn’t think we’d need a stove,” 
Lefty observed. “An iron stove weighs about 
a ton, an oil stove smokes, and the oil can is 
sure to leak. Besides, there is the expense of 
your kerosene. A gas range would be handy, 
I expect, but where would we get the gas?” 

“You can cook anything you want over 
the right kind of camp-fire,” Bert added. 
‘ ‘ There ’s no use bothering with a stove. Wil- 
bur will show you how to coax a fire to do ’most 
anything, and we can build a shelter around it 
to keep out the wind and rain.” 

“That will be the cheapest way,” Tom said 
approvingly. “It will save the expense of a 
stove, and our fuel won’t cost us anything. 
125 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


There ’s plenty of wood on the place, and we 
have the right to use all of it that we really 
need. That goes with the place.’ ’ 

“I should think the owner might manage to 
throw in something, considering the rent we ’re 
paying. Did Wilbur send you a list of the 
medicines and things to take along!” 

Tom nodded, and proceeded to read it, but 
this sturdy, healthy group found little interest 
in such matters, and some one interrupted to 
ask if it would be necessary to buy tents. 

“What kind of building is this bungalow!” 
Eliot wanted to know, when the tent question 
was under consideration. 

“Why, it ’s about forty feet long and twenty 
wide. There ’s a broad piazza in front, and 
the entrance to the place is just about in the 
middle, if the rough sketch Mr. Raymond sent 
me is right. You go in the door, and on the 
right is the living-room. This is a big place, 
half the size of the bungalow, with a large stone 
fireplace in the corner. There are three rooms 
on the other side of the hall. One has been 
used as a dining-room, another as a kitchen, 
and the third as a small storeroom. When Mr. 
Raymond occupied the place, they used the cot- 
126 


THE EXODUS 


tage back of the bungalow for a kind of dor- 
mitory. That ’s the reason there are no sleep- 
ing rooms arranged in the bungalow.” 

“Well, what ’s the matter with sleeping on 
the piazza when it ’s clear, and moving inside 
when a storm strikes us f ’ ’ Eliot continued. ‘ 4 1 
don’t believe that we need to spend a lot of 
money for tents. We ’d better have some mos- 
quito netting, though. Most likely, we ’ll need 
it,” and the others heartily endorsed the sug- 
gestion. 

“We ought to be patriotic and have a flag,” 
Jack observed, “and you always need things 
like rope and twine and string.” 

“We ’re getting quite a list,” Tom observed. 
“I knew we needed heaps of things, but I never 
should have thought of some that you fellows 
have mentioned.” 

“There are a lot more that we have n’t men- 
tioned,” Lefty chuckled. “Needles and pins, 
and such things. We ’ll have to organize a 
sewing society, I expect, after we get to camp. ’ ’ 

“I ’ll bring along my football,” Charlie 
promised, “and we ’ll need things like tennis 
racquets and fishing tackle. Who owns a 
camera f ’ ’ 


127 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“I have a little Brownie,’ ’ Walter replied. 
“I ’ll bring it. We ’ll have a good many 
chances for pictures, and I can develop and 
print them right up there. I ’ve got all the 
stuff.” 

“ I suppose I ’d better take my mandolin 
along,” Tad remarked, “and games will come 
in handy on rainy days. Let ’s gather in those 
that are lying around at home. ’ ’ 

“If you ’re thinking of exploring the coun- 
try, a good road map will help,” Edgar ob- 
served, “and these little pocket drinking cups 
are good things to have along. We need a 
clock, too, for the bungalow — an alarm-clock to 
wake up the cook in time for breakfast.” 

“That ’s right,” Tom agreed, “and we ought 
to have a mirror and a calendar. Now about 
the food — ” 

“Here ’s where it gets interesting,” Lefty 
observed. 

After a brief discussion, it was decided to 
buy certain dry groceries like rice, flour, and 
sugar, in the city, and make arrangements for 
fruit, vegetables, milk, and butter after their 
arrival. 

They also decided to buy a supply of cots at 
128 


THE EXODUS 


two dollars each, of a pattern which Tom had 
seen and strongly recommended. Then the 
conference adjourned rather hastily, for some 
of the boys already were late for certain ap- 
pointments which had been made for the after- 
noon. 

The twins found that both Cousin Willie and 
his father’s automobile were at liberty on 
Saturday morning, and both were “loaned” to 
the Trust with hearty good will, to the end that 
the shopping trip might be made quickly, com- 
fortably and without expense for carfare. 

Lefty had no engagement until three in the 
afternoon, when he was scheduled to deliver 
sundry curves for the benefit of a local baseball 
team. He had partly promised to accompany 
the twins on this trip of inspection and invest- 
ment, and, when he learned of the means of 
transportation which had been furnished, he 
was quite willing to become a member of the 
party. Promptly at half-past eight on Satur- 
day morning, he appeared at the Townsend 
home, where the twins were waiting for Cousin 
Willie and the auto. 

“Is Cousin Willie a careful driver?” he in- 
129 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

quired innocently, after lie had saluted the 
twins. 

“Oh, why he doesn’t run the car!” gasped 
Tom. “They have a chauffeur.” 

“I feel greatly relieved,” Lefty exclaimed 
with a comical gesture indicating that a weight 
of anxiety had been lifted. ‘ ‘ Can the chauffeur 
run Cousin Willie, too?” 

“He doesn’t try,” laughed Tad. “It’s 
easier to run the auto. Some one outside is 
tooting a horn. Look out of the window, Tom, 
and see if they ’ve arrived. ’ ’ 

They had, so the three boys hurried outside. 
Close beside the curb stood a large, black 
touring car. In the tonneau sat Cousin Willie. 
He was small for his age, and under-developed. 
His face was pale, his expression rather indif- 
ferent, and, as he looked about him, his manner 
strongly conveyed the impression of languid in- 
dolence. 

“Do my eyes behold Cousin Willie?” Lefty 
inquired in a low tone. 

“Yes, that ’s the little dear,” Tad whispered, 
pausing half-way down the steps. “Isn’t he 
a peach? Come on out and get introduced.” 

“He may be a peach,” Lefty muttered to 
130 


THE EXODUS 


himself, “but to my eyes, he looks like a half- 
ripe gooseberry.” 

They called a cheerful “good-by” to Mrs. 
Townsend who was watching from the base- 
ment window, then stepped inside the car. 

“Lefty, let me introduce my cousin, Will 
Ainsworth,” Tad commenced, after saluting 
the younger boy. “Will, this is my friend, 
Alexander Beckley.” 

“Named after Alexander the Great, and sev- 
eral other Alexanders not so great,” Lefty 
added, as he shook hands. “ I ’m glad to know 
you, Will. I ’ve often heard your cousins 
speak of you.” 

Cousin Willie murmured something, and 
looked rather suspiciously at the big, good- 
natured fellow. He wondered how far it would 
be safe to take his words seriously. 

“Where do you want to go?” he asked ab- 
ruptly, turning toward the twins. 

“We ’d better order the cots, first thing,” 
Tom replied, “because the store where I saw 
them is right on our way downtown.” He 
turned and gave the necessary directions to the 
chauffeur. 

They rolled smoothly along over asphalted 
131 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


streets, and presently the car came to a stop 
before the entrance of a large furniture store. 

“Now for some cots,” Tom said briskly, as 
befitted the managing director of a busy trust, 
and he led the way toward the open doorway. 
Passing through the store to the rear, they en- 
tered an elevator and soon found themselves on 
an upper floor, where a bewildering array of 
cots and beds of all kinds saluted their eyes. A 
salesman approached the party before the ele- 
vator door had closed behind them, and Tom 
made known their wants. 

“Here is a good, strong cot, with four heavy 
legs,” the salesman announced, drawing one 
out for inspection. 

“Only four legs?” Lefty asked in surprise. 
“Why, I saw one the other day with six legs 
on it.” 

“Indeed!” the salesman exclaimed, opening 
his eyes wider in astonishment. “I never 
heard of that pattern.” 

“Fact! Four legs underneath, fellow with 
two legs on top,” Lefty solemnly assured him. 

“You take him away and make him behave, 
Tad,” begged Tom. “I would n’t have brought 
132 


THE EXODUS 


him if I had known how much suffering he was 
going to cause.” 

Tad obligingly led the offender a few yards 
away, and they talked together in a low tone. 

“Do you suppose that cot can stand up on its 
hind legs and bark ? ’ ’ Lefty inquired with a lit- 
tle chuckle. “We ’d better tell Tom not to 
take it unless it can. And look, Tad, they 
have n ’t put the stuffing in right. It ’s all 
bunched up at one end, and the rest is lower.” 

‘ ‘ That ’s a pillow, you boob ! 9 1 

“Is it? What ’s it for, Tad? I thought 
pillows were for pillow-fights, and you can’t 
very well pick up a whole cot and throw it 
around when you want to sling a pillow. I ’m 
going over to persuade Tom to buy some other 
kind. ’ ’ 

“Not on your life! You’re going to stay 
right here and behave yourself.” 

“Oh, look, Tad! The pretty cot can fold its 
little legs under it. Isn’t that cute? Why, 
it ’s a regular folding bed ! I wonder if that ’s 
a habit. Let me go, Tad. I want to tell Tom 
not to buy one like that for me. Think how 
embarrassing it would be for the cot to fold up 
9 133 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

its legs and lie down right in the middle of the 
night.” 

“We ’ll fix yours so that it won’t play such 
a trick on you. ’ ’ 

“The man ’s writing down the order now. 
Look ! He ’s getting excited. He put his pen- 
cil in his mouth three times while I counted 
ten. I hope he sends those things on time. 
Wouldn’t it he awful if we all had to sleep in 
the ice-cream freezer because we had no other 
furniture ? ’ ’ 

They watched Tom and made mischievous 
comments as he completed the transaction and 
gave careful shipping instructions to the sales- 
man. Then they joined the youthful purchas- 
ing agent and Cousin Willie, and went back to 
the waiting automobile. 

“You got fooled that time, worthy Thomas,” 
Lefty informed him, shaking his head omi- 
nously. “That man told you those cots had 
heavy legs.” 

“Well, so they have.” 

“Huh! You don’t call those heavy, do you? 
Why, you ought to see the legs on our piano 
at home. Really, Tom, I assure you they ’re 
much heavier than the ones on the cot.” 

134 


THE EXODUS 


And then Cousin Willie laughed. 

The next stop was made at a department 
store, and the party invaded the basement in 
search of furnishings. 

“We ’d like to look at some ice-cream freez- 
ers, please,” Tom announced, addressing the 
trim saleswoman in charge of that depart- 
ment. 

“Those with the hand-organ attachment that 
play a tune while you turn the handle,” Lefty 
explained. 

“Don’t mind him,” Tom said in a low tone. 
“He ’s perfectly harmless. That young man 
with him is his keeper.” 

The saleswoman looked at Lefty with very 
apparent pity, as she proceeded to display 
several varieties of the desired article, and he 
felt too completely overcome to venture any 
comments. Tom finally selected one that was 
lavishly guaranteed and with which a book of 
recipes was given. Then the party moved 
down the aisle. 

“We may as well get our screws, nails, nuts, 
and bolts while we ’re down here,” Tom ob- 
served, as he consulted his list. 

‘ ‘ What ’s the use of buying nuts ? ’ ’ Lefty in- 
135 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


quired. “ Is n’t there a nut tree on the camp 
property ? 9 9 

“You ’re nutty yourself,” Tom declared, and 
then they turned their attention toward the 
hardware department. 

The entire morning and much of the after- 
noon was spent in ordering supplies for the 
camp. Cousin Willie was quite bewildered, 
and said hut little. He seemed to enjoy the 
novel experience, however, and even went so 
far as to laugh at some of Lefty’s humorous 
comments, which caused that youth to confide 
to Tad that “ there was much hope for Cousin 
Willie, because any one who laughed at his 
jokes was sure to have good in him, some- 
where. 9 9 

The simple grocery list suggested a some- 
what restricted menu, and this troubled Cousin 
Willie every time he thought of it. Still, he 
made no complaint and offered no suggestions. 
Lefty privately formed the opinion that the 
boy was not going to be as much of a nuisance 
as he had anticipated. 

Finally, the shopping came to an end, al- 
though further purchases were made on the 
days that intervened between that time and 
136 


THE EXODUS 


the eventful moment of departure. Tom felt 
qualified to act as purchasing agent of a much 
larger trust before he finished his task, because 
responsibility sat more heavily upon him than 
upon the happy-go-lucky Tad, who worked 
early and late to assist his brother. Indeed, 
Tom felt quite ready for a vacation when the 
time arrived. 

The last busy days were close at hand. 
Examinations came, with all their vague men- 
ace, but the boys met them bravely and managed 
to win passing marks in the various studies. 
True, some of the percentages might have been 
higher, but, as Tad remarked philosophically, 
“What ’s the dif whether we jumped through 
or crawled through? We got through, didn’t 
we? And it looks just the same on the other 
side. ’ ’ 

Finally, the last bag was packed, the last 
farewell spoken, and the moment of departure 
arrived — that time to which the boys had so 
eagerly looked forward during the months of 
toil and rigorous self-denial. 

They were to proceed by the night boat to 
Troy, then by train to Westport, here taking 
137 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


a small boat which would convey the party to 
the camp wharf. 

It was a merry company. School days, work 
days, days of limitation and sacrifice were be- 
hind, and before them stretched the long- 
awaited vacation days, which their several 
imaginations filled with all manner of fun and 
happy outdoor life. 


138 


CHAPTER VIII 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 

WARNING! DO NOT LAND HERE ! 

T HIS sign in oily, sticky black paint pre- 
sented a hospitable welcome to the boys as 
they stepped from the little launch which had 
brought them across the lake to the camp land- 
ing. The words were painted upon a rough 
board which previously had been whitewashed, 
and this was nailed to a tree close by the land- 
ing. 

“See that, Tom?” Jack cried. “It says we 
mustn’t land here.” 

“Does it? Well, we don’t believe in signs. 
Yank it down, Jacko!” 

“The paint is n’t dry yet,” Jack announced, 
as he tore the sign off the tree. “Now, who the 
dickens put that thing up?” 

“There ’s one thing you can’t blame on me,” 
139 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Tad reminded them. “I never set eyes on the 
place until just now.” 

‘ ‘ Never mind ! I ’m hungry ! ’ ’ Lefty exclaimed 
impatiently. “Let ’s eat first, and find out 
later what dub stuck up the sign . 9 9 

“Anything in the house to eat, Tom?” sighed 
Edgar, changing his suit-case to his left hand, 
and gazing sorrowfully at the long path that 
wound among the trees toward the bungalow. 

“Why, yes! I think so. There ’s a man up 
here — Samuelson, his name is — who lives about 
a mile up the road. He agreed to haul our 
stuff over from the station and stow it in the 
bungalow. He has the keys to the place. Mr. 
Raymond, the owner, left them with him, so I 
was told.” 

“Wow!” groaned Bert. “Do we have to go 
after ’em?” 

“Glory! I hope not!” Tom gasped, dropping 
his blanket-roll as the horrible thought crossed 
his mind. “I should hope the old geezer would 
have sense enough to leave ’em around here 
somewhere.” 

“How do you know he ’s an old geezer?” 
Walter demanded. “Maybe he ’s young, and 
handsome as a big sunflower.” 

140 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


‘ ‘ Maybe !” Tom agreed. “I won’t argue the 
point. I ’ll call him blessed if only he left those 
keys where we can find them easily . 9 9 

The party had reached the bungalow now. 
It was a long, one-story structure, with a 
shingled roof. Olive green paint, with trim- 
mings of a darker shade, adorned the walls 
and spacious piazza, and a hardy rosebush 
climbed over an arched trellis by the steps. 

Jack dropped his baggage when the house 
was reached, hounded up the steps, rushed 
across the piazza, and halted before the door. 
To this entrance, a scrap of paper was tacked, 
and Jack glanced at it and turned quickly. 

“Hurrah!” he shouted. “The keys are 
under the mat.” 

“That ’s all very well,” Eliot retorted, close 
behind him, “but where ’s the mat?” 

“That ’s so!” Jack exclaimed in dismay. 
“Where is it? Alas, that we should reach the 
border of the promised land only to perish with 
hunger . 9 9 

The boys crowded about the door, and exam- 
ined the little piece of paper which bore the 
ancient and much-ridiculed sentence, ‘ ‘ The keys 
are under the mat.” 


141 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Charlie walked over to a window and peered 
within, shading his eyes with one hand. 

“Ah! I see beefsteaks, watermelons, pies, 
ice cream — ” he began to mutter. 

“Poor Charlie !” murmured Lefty. “Hun- 
ger ’s affected his brain. He ’s going batty!” 

“Will we have to go ’way up to that man’s 
house to get the keys?” Cousin Willie queried 
plaintively. 

“It looks that way,” Tad sighed gloomily, 
kicking an inoffensive post. “Unless we can 
break a window and get in so-fashion.” 

Doctor Halsey appeared on the scene then, 
having been detained to settle with the boat- 
men. 

“Well, well, what’s the matter?” he ex- 
claimed. “Is every one trying to avoid the 
honor of being the first to enter our manse? 
Never mind ! I ’ll settle it by going in myself. ’ ’ 

He walked up to the door, turned the handle, 
and pushed it open. It creaked a bit as the 
hinges performed an unaccustomed duty, but 
swung open without any other resistance. A 
piece of rag carpet lay in the hall, and he raised 
one end and took from beneath a small bunch 
of keys tied together with string. 

142 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


4 ‘ Well, did you ever see such a pack of 
chumps!” gasped Tom. “Here we ’ve been 
standing around taking it for granted that the 
bloomin’ door was locked, and never so much 
as turning the knob to find out.” 

“I thought Jack tried it in the first place 
and found it locked,” Eliot stated, “so I didn’t 
bother. Well, anyhow, we ’re in ! Ah, this is 
some class, all right. We seem to have struck 
a comfortable place.” 

“But where is all our truck!” Tom cried 
in dismay. “All our food, the cots, our trunks 
and baggage — I don ’t see a thing. ’ ’ 

They made a hasty trip through the rooms, 
peering into closets, and up on shelves, hut not 
a box or a barrel could be found. 

“Perhaps they ’re in the ice-house,” the 
doctor suggested. “Neighbor Samuelson may 
have thought they would keep better on the 
ice. ’ ’ 

The boys dashed across the clearing, and un- 
locked the door of this square building, now 
nearly full of large ice cakes. Nothing had 
been put in here since the ice was packed, so 
they descended in force upon a small, three- 
room cabin on the camp property. Dust and 
143 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


cobwebs adorned tbe interior — but nothing 
more, except the two boats that were leased 
with the camp. 

“Well, wouldn’t that bump you?” Lefty de- 
manded, sitting down helplessly and looking 
around. 

Probably it would and did, for no one en- 
tered a denial. 

It was not surprising that the boys felt 
depressed and perplexed. They had traveled 
all night on one of the great steamboats that 
sails up and down the Hudson River, con- 
necting the metropolis with the capital city and 
its across-the-river neighbor, Troy. The trip 
had been delightful, but novel to most of the 
boys; and the excitement of the journey com- 
bined with the unaccustomed experience of try- 
ing to sleep in state-rooms had kept the myth- 
ical sandman at bay, and none of them had 
slept much. 

They had carried light luncheons from home 
to save the expense of an evening meal on board 
the boat, and had eaten a simple breakfast 
while the boat slowly advanced from Albany to 
Troy. 

Then came a ride of several hours in a hot, 
144 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


dusty railroad coach, and finally a sail in a 
puffing motor boat that left them “right at 
their front gate,’’ as Charlie remarked. 

Their various articles of equipment, and the 
provisions ordered in the city had been shipped 
nearly two weeks previous, while their personal 
baggage, which went by express, had been sent 
in plenty of time to insure delivery before their 
arrival at camp. 

It was evident that neighbor Samuelson had 
been on the premises, for the note on the door 
and the keys under the mat betrayed his pres- 
ence. Then, too, there were ruts made by 
wagon-wheels in front of the bungalow, but 
where — oh, where! — were their possessions? 

“Hark!” Bert cried suddenly. “I hear 
voices! Girls ’ voices!” 

They peered eagerly through the screen of 
trees, and there, as close to the shore as it could 
come, was a canoe. Two “maidens fair to 
see” grasped the paddles and kept the light 
craft moving, but, had a rock been before them, 
it is much to be feared that a collision would 
have resulted, for both girls were looking land- 
ward with undisguised interest. 

“Oh, you-oo!” cried the irrepressible Lefty. 

145 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


The girls appeared startled. Perhaps they 
suspected that their scrutiny of the premises 
was unobserved. At any rate, they abruptly 
changed the course of their canoe, and turned 
their backs upon the watching boys. 

4 ‘ Good-by, girls. Come again ! ’ ’ Lefty called 
after them. 

When this temporary diversion had passed 
from the realm of immediate interest, the boys 
remembered how hungry and tired they were. 

“Why, oh, why did I come out here in the 
wilderness to starve ?” Tad wailed. “I could 
have starved at home and saved traveling ex- 
penses.” 

“You could, but you wouldn’t,” Tom re- 
torted. “I can see you starving to death with 
a refrigerator and a cake-box handy.” 

“Why, Thomas Townsend! Your insinua- 
tions are unworthy! You know I never eat 
cake or anything fancy, and never, never touch 
food between meals. I ’m on the training 
table.” 

“A lot you are! If you didn’t say so, I 
can assure you that no one ever would notice 
it.” 

“Your conversation is highly entertaining, 
146 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


gentlemen, ’ ’ Jack observed, “but it doesn’t 
bring ns any nearer to dinner.” 

“I don’t see any way out of the tangle ex- 
cept to forage upon our neighbors,” Doctor 
Halsey announced. 4 4 What ’s the advantage 
of having neighbors if you can’t make use of 
them once in a while? Of course, we mustn’t 
expect too much. It is n’t at all likely that any 
one around here can feed eleven hungry peo- 
ple without previous notice, but perhaps we can 
buy enough bread and butter to keep us from 
starving. ’ ’ 

44 ’Tis well said!” Eliot declared. 4 4 Let 
us get on the trail of these juicy articles.” 

44 I ’m not going,” Cousin Willie announced 
with a sigh. 44 1 feel tired.” 

4 4 All right, kid! You stay here and hold the 
bungalow down,” Lefty responded good- 
naturedly, 4 4 but don’t wander off into the 
woods, because a crocodile might get you. 
They have affectionate dispositions, and are es- 
pecially fond of small boys.” 

44 I don’t want to stay here all alone,” whined 
Cousin Willie. 

4 4 4 Man wants but little here below,’ Sweet- 
ness,” Lefty quoted cheerily, 4 4 and that little 
147 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


lie doesn’t often get. Come along, yon fel- 
lows! We ought to have been there and back 
by this time.” 

They started for the road that wound back 
through the woods, connecting the camp prop- 
erty with the main highway. Cousin Willie 
was left behind, sulking in pettish discontent 
on the piazza of the bungalow. 

“How far is it to our nearest neighbors?” 
Charlie asked, when they were in sight of the 
main road. 

“Oh, about three miles or so,” Tom care- 
lessly responded, with cheerful exaggeration. 

“What? Three miles! O-o-o-oh!” A cho- 
rus of dismal groans expressed the feelings of 
the boys. 

“I ’m so hungry, honestly I could eat the 
bark of a tree,” Edgar declared. 

“Don’t do that, because most likely it would 
spoil the tree,” Tad warned him. “I heard a 
dog bark a little while ago. Why not start on 
that?” 

They had reached the road now, and halted 
in perplexity, hardly knowing whether to turn 
northward or in the opposite direction. 

Just then, a carriage drawn by a well- 
148 





“I don’t want to stay here all alone,” whined Cousin Willie 
















* 









SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


groomed team appeared in the distance. As 
it came nearer, the hoys discovered that it was 
a comfortable phaeton driven by a woman 
whose pleasant face was crowned with an aure- 
ole of white hair. With her was a young girl 
of fourteen or fifteen who tried to appear un- 
conscious of the group by the roadside, al- 
though it was evident that her curiosity was 
deeply stirred. 

Doctor Halsey stepped forward and removed 
his hat. A gentle pressure upon the reins 
halted the team, and the lady turned toward 
him inquiringly. 

“I trust you will pardon me for stopping 
you,” he began, “but we are strangers here, 
and want to find, the nearest neighbor who can 
supply us with food. We reached our camp 
about an hour ago, expecting to find our pro- 
visions there. We can’t see a single thing, 
though, anywhere around, so our cupboard is in 
worse condition, if possible, than that of old 
Mother Hubbard.” 

“Oh, I ’m so sorry!” was the compassionate 
reply. “Have you leased the camp yonder — 
Mr. Raymond’s?” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

10 


151 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

‘ 4 Then we are your nearest neighbors by 
water, although Mr. — er — there is some one 
about the same distance from your camp on 
land. Now let me see. What can I do for 
you? Why, yes! We have plenty of soup in 
the house, and bread. Fortunately, we baked 
a fresh batch this morning. This is not very 
much, to be sure, but in an emergency like 
this it may be better than nothing. ’ ’ 

“Indeed, yes!” exclaimed the doctor grate- 
fully, striving to show no more eagerness than 
the limits of propriety permitted, yet vastly 
relieved by the welcome offer of neighborly 
hospitality. “It certainly is very kind of you 
to suggest such an easy way to end our 
troubles, and yet I dislike to trouble you.” 

“Don’t speak of it,” was the prompt reply. 
“It really is no trouble — ‘just add hot water 
and serve,’ you know,” and she concluded with 
a merry laugh. 

“We certainly shall be under great obliga- 
tion to you,” Doctor Halsey assured her, 
“and we appreciate not only your hospitality 
but the neighborly spirit in which it is of- 
fered.” 

The lady in the phaeton received this gallant 
152 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


acknowledgment with a gracious bow and a 
smile. “If you will excuse me, I ’ll drive on 
and get things ready,” she said. “You will 
find our landing about half a mile up the lake, 
the next one to yours. If you come by land, 
look on the left side of the road for a mail-box 
with my name on it — Mrs. Elizabeth Spencer. ’ ’ 

“Thank you very much, Mrs. Spencer,” 
Doctor Halsey responded. “One of the boys 
is staying back at the bungalow, so there will 
be eleven in the party, altogether. I hope some 
day we may have an opportunity of repaying 
your great kindness.” 

Mrs. Spencer nodded pleasantly and started 
the horses. “Come up and sing for me some- 
times, and we ’ll call the account settled,” she 
said, as the carriage began to move. “I do 
enjoy young voices. I hope we shall be real 
good neighbors.” 

“Saved!” muttered Lefty. “Ah! I can al- 
most smell that soup.” 

“Smelling doesn’t help an empty tummy 
much,” Tad grunted. “Alas! to think that we 
should be reduced to singing for a dinner.” 

“Well, singing for a dinner is better than 
crying for it,” the doctor reminded him. 

153 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Come on, yon fellows! Let ’s make ourselves 
as presentable as possible and get started.” 

“I wonder if that girl is Mrs. Spencer’s 
daughter?” Lefty remarked. 

“What girl?” 

“What girl! As if you didn’t notice that 
girl in the carriage. Why, you were looking 
right at her most of the time.” 

“Why, the very idea! I looked at — er — the 
horses and the carriage and Mrs. Spencer and 
— and — the harness. Was there a girl in the 
rig?” 

“Was there! Well, I guess yes! Believe 
me, she was some looker, too. I hope she ’s 
around when they feed us.” 

They went back to the bungalow, where 
Cousin Willie was taking a nap in the midst of 
suit-cases and bags, and removed the marks 
of recent travel as well as their limited re- 
sources permitted. Then they started for what 
Lefty called ‘ 1 the soup-kitchen of Lady Bounti- 
ful.” 

It was nearly a mile by the road, but finally 
they located the mail-box with Mrs. Spencer’s 
name on it. Then, in single file, they walked 
along a narrow path until a velvety lawn ap- 
154 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 

peared. Across this, circled a gravel drive- 
way that led them up to a pretty white cottage 
with green blinds. 

Upon the shady porch, shielded from the sun 
by awnings and climbing vines, sat the girl 
who had been in the carriage, and three others. 
All were dressed daintily in light-colored 
frocks, quite as if they had been expecting 
company. A sudden shyness seized the boys, 
and they felt a strange reluctance to advance. 
Some one on the porch giggled just then, 
and that increased their embarrassment. Then 
one of the girls disappeared within the house, 
and in a minute Mrs. Spencer came out to wel- 
come them. 

“I know you will be willing to take things 
just as you find them,” she said, half jestingly, 
half seriously. “A hungry man is not critical, 
anyhow, for which I am truly thankful. I ’m 
only sorry that we can do so little for you . 9 9 

While Mrs. Spencer talked, she had led the 
party inside the house, and now they were in 
the dining-room. The soup was on the table, 
steaming hot, and it seemed to the hungry boys 
as if nothing ever had tasted quite so good. 
Also, it possessed the additional advantage of 
155 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


being very filling — so much so that the boys 
were surprised to discover how quickly their 
keen appetites were satisfied. 

Mrs. Spencer proved a most kind and gra- 
cious hostess and before the campers left her 
cottage they felt as if they had known her a 
long while. When the meal was over, Doctor 
Halsey excused the boys and himself, remind- 
ing their hostess of the great amount of work 
that awaited them. Then, with many heart- 
felt expressions of gratitude, they prepared to 
depart. 

4 'Mrs. Spencer, can you tell me where to find 
Mr. Samuelson?” Tom inquired. "He was to 
have carted our stuff over from the railroad 
station at North Rutland, and I want to hunt 
him up, and see what ’s become of it.” 

Mrs. Spencer hesitated. "You ’d better not 
go there — yet,” she said finally. "You can in- 
quire at the North Rutland freight office and 
find out whether your goods were delivered, 
but I would n’t let any one know, if I were you, 
that I ’d had any dealings with Mr. Samuel- 
son.” 

The boys looked surprised, so she added, by 
way of partial explanation, "This will seem 
156 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


like very strange advice, no doubt, but I assure 
you that it is the best that I can give. I ear- 
nestly hope we all may understand the matter 
clearly, before the summer passes.” 

Wondering, yet not caring to question fur- 
ther, the party left their kind friend and walked 
back to Beaver Camp, discussing with eager 
curiosity the strange affair partly revealed hy 
Mrs. Spencer’s guarded warning. They had 
not yet settled upon any definite plan of cam- 
paign when they turned into the camp road, 
though suggestions were being offered very 
freely. 

All at once, Eliot stopped short, and gazed 
with eager interest at the underbrush growing 
near the camp road. “It looks to me as if 
some one had been dragging a big box or some- 
thing else large and heavy through those 
bushes,” he said, pointing toward the left. 
‘ ‘ See how the ground is scratched and torn up. 
Look at the broken branches and the leaves 
scattered around. Suppose we investigate.” 

They plunged into the underbrush, and 
within ten yards found a trunk. Walter Corn- 
wall set up a shout of joy and eagerly inspected 
the property to see if it had been damaged in 
157 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


transit. Further in among the trees and the 
bushes was the ice-cream freezer, packed full 
of smaller articles; and scattered about were 
boxes, barrels, trunks, and bundles. Ap- 
parently, everything was there except the cots, 
a trunk belonging to Jack, and the smaller one 
of Cousin Willie’s. (He had brought two in 
order to carry what his mother believed es- 
sential to his comfort at camp.) 

4 ‘Well, I wish whoever dumped this stuff out 
here in the wilderness would kindly tell us how 
to get it back,” muttered Tom, who neverthe- 
less was vastly relieved to know that so much 
of their equipment had arrived. “I don’t see 
how we ’re going to drag all these things up to 
the bungalow.” 

“We ought to have brought a wheelbarrow 
with us,” Tad remarked. “Those barrels and 
the big boxes weigh about a ton. If only we 
had a next-door neighbor who really lived 
within a respectable distance of us we might 
send Willie up to borrow his wheelbarrow” — 
[Cousin Willie looked startled as this sugges- 
tion was made] “but the sweet joy of living 
’way off from everybody puts things right up 
158 





The discovery in the underbrush 



















SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


to us. We ’ll have to tackle this thing our- 
selves, I suppose.” 

Lefty tested his strength on the largest box. 
“Say! I can’t lift this thing!” he exclaimed. 
“If that ’s the case, how are we going to carry 
it from here to the bungalow ?” 

“I ’m afraid we ’ll have to unpack all our 
stuff, and carry it up a little at a time, ’ ’ Doctor 
Halsey said thoughtfully. “That will be a 
long, tiresome job, but you fellows will strain 
yourselves if you attempt to carry the heavier 
cases and barrels.” 

“Prepare for the slaughter!” cried Lefty. 
“Where ’s the ax!” 

1 c Hold on a minute ! ’ ’ Eliot said slowly, seat- 
ing himself on a box and looking about him in 
some perplexity. “It looks to me as if this 
stuff had been left up at the bungalow all right. 
Whoever stowed it away locked the door and 
put the keys outside under the mat. Some one 
came along, read the sign, opened the door, 
dragged out all the stuff and left it here. Then 
they put the mat and keys inside the hall, and 
left the sign on the door just to fool us.” 

“All of which is very interesting, but what ’s 
161 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


it got to do with getting this stuff back under 
the ancestral roof?” Edgar wanted to know. 

“Why, just this!” Eliot informed him. 
“How do you suppose these things got here? 
They didn’t walk out and lie down. They 
could n’t have been carried by hand. Whoever 
put ’em here must have used a stone boat or a 
wheelbarrow. If they ’d had any charity left 
in their make-up, I think they ’d have left the 
chariot around so ’s to give us a lift in getting 
the stuff back again. Let ’s look and see if we 
can find anything that looks good.” 

The boys were disposed to give this sugges- 
tion an enthusiastic welcome, and immediately 
the search commenced. It was only a fraction 
of a minute later when Charlie raised a shout, 
and the others, hurrying to his side, found an 
overturned wheelbarrow in a dense tangle of 
underbrush. Tacked to its side was a sign, 
reading : 

DANGER! DO NOT TOUCH! 

The letters looked as if they might have been 
formed by the hand that painted the inhospi- 
table sign at the landing. 

162 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


“Huh! Well, I just guess we will touch it, 
all right !” Tom declared, and he seized the 
handles with sudden force and dragged the 
wheelbarrow out of its place of concealment. 

“Somebody around here has a grudge 
against us,” Charlie observed. “I wonder 
who it is.” 

“Let him beware!” Lefty exclaimed dra- 
matically. “When we have time, we will fasten 
ourselves to his trail and make him repent in 
ashcloth and sashes.” 

“You mean sackcloth and ashes,” Eliot in- 
formed him. 

“Isn’t it pleasant to have somebody around 
who knows what you mean so much better than 
you do yourself!” Lefty sighed with the air of 
a martyr. 

“Say, you fellows, just bury the hatchet and 
get busy on this stuff,” the doctor called, as 
he struggled with a barrel. 

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Lefty responded, and 
he sprang to the assistance of the camp direc- 
tor. Then the tedious, back-breaking process 
of transferring all this varied assortment of 
freight and baggage was undertaken. Al- 
though twilight lingered long for their ac- 
163 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


commodation, it was dark before they had fin- 
ished unpacking. 

‘ ‘ Light the lantern, Bert!” Lefty called. 
“I can’t see over here.” 

“Say please.” 

“Please.” 

“Will you always love me if I do?” 

“Sure! Hurry up!” 

“I ’d be charmed to oblige you, but we 
haven’t any oil.” 

“There are candles in that second barrel 
over in the corner,” Tom announced, pointing 
with the frying-pan. 

“Hurray! Who has a match? Thank you! 
Now for a candle. Ah! Behold the grand il- 
lumination of our palace.” 

While the boys busied themselves unpacking 
the things, Doctor Halsey fried some bacon and 
made “camp flapjacks” which the boys pro- 
nounced “great.” Even Cousin Willie seemed 
to relish this simple fare, so vastly different 
from that to which he was accustomed. The 
evening meal was informal to the last degree, 
the bungalow being in a state of wild disorder, 
but the boys made the best of a situation that 
could not be dodged, and there were no corn- 
164 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


plaints beyond a few grumbling remarks made 
in a spirit of fun. 

Nine o’clock came — balf-past — still the work 
was not done. 

4 ‘Say, I ’m dead tired,” Jack announced 
finally. “Let ’s quit.” 

“I second the motion,” the doctor added, 
dropping his hammer with a weary sigh. “We 
have a whole summer before us, so there is no 
special reason for trying to do all the work to- 
night.” 

“So say we all of us,” Tom responded. 
“Tad, just ring for the porter, and tell him to 
make up our berths. ’ ’ 

“That reminds me, where shall we sleep?” 
Charlie asked in a dismayed tone. 

“ ‘Go forth into the open sky and list to 
Nature’s teaching,’ ” Jack quoted. “We can 
sleep under the guardian stars.” 

“You will be more likely to sleep under 
difficulties, I ’m thinking,” Bert responded. 
“Fortunately, it ’s warm and clear to-night, so 
I suppose we may as well curl up on the piazza 
and make ourselves as ^comfortable as pos- 
sible.” 

“We could have cut some boughs and made 
165 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


camp beds,” the doctor observed, “but we ’ve 
been so busy that, somehow, it was crowded 
out. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it before. 
We might have let a few things hold over until 
to-morrow for the sake of being comfortable on 
our first night in camp.” 

“Well, T don’t believe any of us are very 
fussy just now,” Lefty remarked. “I know 
that if you put it up to me whether I ’d sleep 
on boards or go out and cut boughs, I ’d say, 
‘ Boards, please, and the sooner the better.’ ” 

“That ’s the way I feel, too,” Tom added. 
“We can spread out some of this packing stuff, 
and make the most of our supply of blankets. 
I guess we can worry along for one night.” 

And they did. Wrapping themselves in 
blankets and pillowing their heads on sweaters 
or anything soft that came handy, they drifted 
off to dream of the delights of camping and the 
joy of communing with nature which such a life 
affords. 

The doctor slept in the middle of the long 
line, with five boys on each side. Lefty found 
himself on one end, with Cousin Willie next, 
between himself and Tad. 

The boys were very tired, and soon fell asleep 
166 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


in spite of their hard beds which afforded slight 
comfort for aching muscles. 

About an hour later, Lefty stirred uneasily, 
then rolled over seeking a more comfortable 
position. As he did so, he was conscious of a 
sound like a stifled sob from his next neighbor. 

He smiled scornfully. What was the kid 
blubbering about, anyhow? Then Lefty’s kind 
heart reproached him. After all, he was only 
a little fellow, and this was the first time he had 
been so far away from home without his 
mother. Come to think of it, this was Lefty’s 
first experience under such conditions, and the 
more he thought about it the more uncomfort- 
able he felt. How lonesome the night was — 
just the splashing of the water, the chirping of 
the crickets, and the sighing of the wind 
through the trees. Lefty did not remember 
that he ever had noticed how mournful these 
sounds were. No wonder the poor kid felt 
homesick. 

Lefty rolled over quietly, and put his arm 
protectingly around the younger boy. 

“What ’s the matter, kid?” he asked gently. 

At first, no response came from the sobbing 
boy, but at length his tale of woe was told. He 
167 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


was so lonesome and tired (he did not say 
homesick) that he conld not go to sleep, and 
yet he did not want the other campers to know 
it for fear they would think him a baby. 
Lefty smiled when this statement fell falter- 
ingly from Willie’s lips, and he was thankful 
that the darkness concealed his expression of 
amusement. 

He soothed and comforted as best he could 
this unhappy boy who was so anxious to get on 
well with his fellow-campers and have them 
think favorably of him. 

“It won’t be nearly as hard to-morrow, 
Willie,” he whispered. “By that time, you ’ll 
be so happy that the vacation won’t seem long 
enough. You mustn’t feel badly, either, when 
the fellows tease you, because you ’ll notice that 
we make fun of one another every day. It ’s a 
sign they like you if they sort of jolly you 
along. If they ’re down on you, they ’ll let you 
beautifully alone.” 

To this comforting counsel, Willie gave a 
faltering agreement. 

“Suppose we form a partnership, you and 
I,” Lefty went on, in response to a sudden im- 
pulse. “You want the fellows to think that 
168 


SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING 


you ’ve quit being a kid. That ’s good! 
That ’s the proper spirit ! If you ’re really on 
the level, I ’ll stand by you and help all I can, 
but I ’ll expect you to do your part. I ’ll be- 
gin now by telling you to forget everything 
and go to sleep. ’ ’ 

“All right — partner,” Cousin Willie mur- 
mured drowsily. 

When the doctor awoke, soon after sunrise, 
and looked over the more or less still forms 
ranged on either side of him, he saw the part- 
ners fast asleep, with Lefty’s arm thrown pro- 
tectingly around the junior member of the 
firm. This tableau pleased the camp director, 
and he smiled contentedly, as he thought of 
the promise of development for Cousin Willie 
which it suggested. 


% 


11 


169 


CHAPTER IX 


‘ ‘ HOIST THE FLAG ! THE GIRLS ARE COMING ! 9 9 

M ANY duties awaited tlie boys on that first 
morning in camp, and they were stirring 
before the sun bad climbed very high in tbe 
eastern sky. Doctor Halsey paired them off 
and set them at work doing the different things 
that needed attention. One pair cut wood and 
piled it near the camp-fire; another carried 
groceries into the room which had served the 
former occupants as a kitchen, and arranged 
them conveniently on the shelves; a third fin- 
ished unpacking the boxes and barrels ; another 
swept out the rubbish, aired the blankets, and 
made the premises tidy, while the last two boys 
carried water, washed dishes and cooking 
utensils that had just come out of boxes and 
barrels, and aided in the preparation of break- 
fast. 

During the morning, Tom and the doctor ar- 
ranged for a supply of milk, eggs, butter, and 
170 


“HOIST THE FLAG!” 


vegetables from a farmer in tbe neighborhood, 
while Jack and Eliot rowed across the lake to 
purchase some necessary articles. While they 
were gone, Tad and Lefty walked over to the 
railway station at North Rutland, where they 
found the two trunks that had not yet been de- 
livered, but no cots. 

“Whatever has become of those bally beds?” 
Tad exclaimed helplessly. 

“I wanted to warn Tom not to buy ’em,” 
Lefty reminded him, “but you would n’t let me. 
I knew something ’d happen to ’em. ’ ’ 

“Maybe the railroad is using them. They 
have sleepers, you know.” 

“Sure! Maybe they ’ve used them for part 
of the road-bed.” 

“No. I know what, Lefty. Don’t you re- 
member the salesman said the legs could be 
folded underneath? They probably got tired, 
curled up their legs, and went to sleep. ’ ’ 
“Well, anyhow, I wish they ’d come. The 
piazza floor may be swell for rugged constitu- 
tions, but there are things I like better. ’ ’ 

“We won’t sleep there to-night, you can bank 
on that! We ’ll cut branches and make some 
camp beds. I read an article not long ago 
171 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


that told how to do it. Maybe the doctor knows 
a better way. He ’s had lots of experience in 
such things.’ ’ 

“Perhaps they ’ll come to-morrow. There ’s 
a freight up from the south every morning. I 
wonder if we could coax some one here to cart 
them over to camp and bring the trunks at the 
same time.” 

“I shouldn’t be surprised. I ’ll ask the su- 
preme potentate of freight and baggage. ’ ’ 

That official “guessed ’Zeke Pettingill ’d 
bring the stuff over for ’em if he had a load 
that way,” and directed them toward the 
humble home of the worthy Ezekiel. 

As they turned away from the office, they be- 
came suddenly aware that three boys of a 
typically bucolic variety were regarding them 
attentively from the top rail of a near-by 
fence. 

“Mornin’,” one of them ventured diffidently. 

Lefty removed his hat and bowed low. 
“Greetings,” he responded. 

That stunned the trio into speechlessness, 
and it was not until Tad and Lefty had moved 
some yards away that the previous speaker 
again found his voice. 

172 


“HOIST THE FLAG!” 


“Reckon you fellows play ball,” he sug- 
gested tentatively. 

“Reckon we do!” Lefty responded with 
much animation, as he wheeled around and 
stepped toward the speaker. “Want a 
game!” 

The boy nodded. “Be you the fellows 
that ’r’ stayin’ over on the lake!” 

“We be — but not all of them. There are 
eight more.” 

“Campin’ on the Raymond place, ain’t ye!” 

“Well, we ’re making a feeble stab in that 
direction. ’ ’ 

The natives exchanged glances of ominous 
solemnity, and sighed in a manner which some- 
how suggested the idea of awe, apprehen- 
sion, and gloomy foreboding, all at once. 

“Reckon ye won’t stay there long,” one of 
the natives predicted. “There ain’t a fellow 
in the whole township that ’d go near the place 
after dark. They say there ’s awful goin’s on 
at night, and somethin’ always happens to folks 
that stay there.” 

“I ’ve noticed it already,” Lefty solemnly 
assured them. ‘ ‘ Last night, along about twelve 
o ’clock — the switching hour of midnight — I 
173 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


heard a queer noise out in the woods. It was 
a wild, mournful sound” — he shivered as he 
recalled the experience, noting the fact, as he 
paused, that his auditors were visibly impressed 
— “like — like — a man playing a bass viol in a 
cave. I seized the first weapon that came 
handy, which turned out to be a can-opener, 
and went forth to discover the cause. I stole 
silently into the woods, and what do you think 
I saw! A red, white, and blue elephant, with 
gleaming tusks and a steamer trunk. He was 
sitting on a log, playing the banjo, and singing, 
‘Massa ’s in the Cold, Cold Ground.’ Oh, yes! 
There ’s no doubt about the place being 
haunted. ’ 9 

“Wal, I swan!” ejaculated one of the boys, 
and all three stared at Lefty with feelings too 
deep for utterance. 

“We ’ll be real glad to arrange a game or a 
series of games the next time we ’re over, ’ ’ Tad 
assured them hastily. “Come on, Lefty! We 
want to hunt up the great and only ’Zekiel, 
and get him to bring our things over to us. 
It is n ’t a whole lot of fun to tramp out here 
every day, only to find that there ’s nothing 
doing. ’ ’ 


174 


“HOIST THE FLAG!” 


They located Neighbor Pettingill without 
trouble and made favorable arrangements with 
him. Then the merry pair turned hack toward 
Beaver Camp. 

“Well, Tad, we seem to have landed knee- 
deep in an awful mystery,” Lefty remarked. 
“We ’ve hired a haunted camp, and discovered 
a man that we don’t dare to talk about when 
any one is around. Our goods and chattels are 
swiped and hidden. Signs appear in unex- 
pected places. The plot thickens. I thought 
Tom said this was such a quiet section of coun- 
try up here.” 

“I believe he did say something like that, 
and we swallowed it like dutiful children. I 
wonder what he thinks now.” 

“That ’s hard to tell ! Do you suppose those 
fellows can play baseball enough to keep them- 
selves warm?” 

Tad shrugged his shoulders doubtfully. 
“You never can tell about these country teams, 
Lefty. They may be able to play rings around 
us. Most likely they play together a lot and 
have a hunch of heavy hitters on board. It 
is n’t a good plan to underestimate a team like 
that. If you do get walloped, it makes you 
175 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


feel like a three-cent piece with a hole in it.” 

Lefty nodded thoughtfully and remained si- 
lent for a moment. Then he laughed as he 
said, “Won’t it make the fellows’ eyes stick 
out when we tell ’em they ’ve struck a haunted 
camp? We ’ll work that idea for all it ’s 
worth, Tad, and if you and I can’t have some 
fun out of it on the side, it ’ll be a wonder.” 

“Cousin Willie ’ll have fourteen fits when 
he hears about it,” Tad answered. “He ’ll be 
afraid of his own shadow.” 

“Oh, don’t fret about Cousin Willie! The 
kid ’s got the right stuff in him, Tad. I had a 
talk with him last night, and he and I have 
agreed to form a partnership for — er — for 
mutual improvement and development.” 

“That’s fine, Lefty! A partnership like 
that ought to do you lots of good. I ’m so glad, 
for your sake, that Cousin Willie has consented 
to improve you. You need it! Of course, I 
shouldn’t say so to any one outside, but since 
you mentioned it — ” 

“Exactly! Cousin Willie has the right idea 
about camp life, Tad, and I don’t believe he ’s 
going to give up very easily, no matter what 
happens. At home, I suppose he ’s humored 
176 


“HOIST THE FLAG!” 


and petted to death, so he ’s grown to expect 
that sort of thing. He knows that he can have 
his own way if he fights for it, and consequently 
he rules the roost. 

‘ ‘ The kid has sense enough, though, to realize 
that a program like that is n ’t likely to draw a 
crowd up here. He ’s a sensible youngster in 
some respects. I don’t know where he gets 
his common-sense notions — ” 

“They come from our branch of the family,” 
Tad hastened to assure him. 

“A lot they do ! You ’d have to give trading 
stamps to get anybody to take ’em. Well, any- 
how, Cousin Willie has made up his mind that 
it ’s time he quit being a kid. He wants to 
show the fellows up here that he has just as 
much backbone as any one, and that he ’s just 
as big in feelings as they are. I told him that 
I ’d stretch forth a helping hand to aid a 
stumbling brother, as long as he acted as if he 
really meant what he said.” 

“Good work, Lefty! I didn’t think the kid 
had it in him, honestly I did n ’t ! I hope he ’ll 
make good. It would tickle Mother immensely 
if he should develop as she wants him to, up 
here at camp.” 


177 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Arriving at Beaver Camp, the fun-loving 
pair lost no time in proclaiming the fact that 
intelligent natives had declared the place to be 
haunted, hut' the announcement excited only 
amusement and ridicule, although made in a 
highly sensational manner and with dramatic 
effect. 

The campers, however, welcomed the invita- 
tion to meet the natives in friendly rivalry on 
the baseball diamond, and immediately began to 
discuss ways and means of accomplishing their 
defeat. 

‘ ‘ The first thing on the program will be a lot 
of hard work getting the diamond into condi- 
tion,” Tom declared. “If we play in the vil- 
lage, those fellows may ask for a return game 
here. Anyhow, we need plenty of practice, for 
we want to make a good showing.” 

“Probably we ’ll be able to tackle our great 
athletic field by to-morrow,” Charlie observed. 
“We seem to have things in pretty good shape 
around the place.” 

And it was agreed that this matter should re- 
ceive attention on the day following. 

By mid-afternoon, the campers were com- 
fortably settled in their new quarters, and they 
178 


“HOIST THE FLAG!” 


celebrated the release from hard toil by having 
an invigorating swim in the lake. 

Cousin Willie stood timidly on the bank, 
after having waded in until his ankles were cov- 
ered, shivering at the thought of plunging into 
the cold water. 

“Let ’s duck the kid,” Bert proposed to 
Lefty. 

“Don’t you do it — now,” was the pleading 
response. “He ’s only a kid you know, Bert, 
and if you go to work and scare him into tits 
the first time he comes down to swim, he won’t 
get over it in a hurry. What ’s the use, any- 
how? We want to brace him up! Most likely 
he ’ll enjoy it as well as any of us, when once 
he gets that habit. If he sees that we ’re not 
going to bother him, he won’t be afraid to come 
in.” 

“All right, deacon,” Bert laughingly replied. 
“I ’ll help make a water baby of him.” 

He waded ashore as he spoke, and stood for 
a moment beside the younger boy, swinging his 
arms as he waited in order to keep warm. 

“Can you swim, Willie?” he asked finally. 

“A little.” 

“Better come in. The water ’s fine to-day. 

179 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Honest! It doesn’t feel cold after you’ve 
been in a while, and it ’s a lot more fun to be in 
than to stand here shivering like a frozen 
turnip. Come on in with me. It isn’t deep 
until — until you get out there where Ed and 
Tad are.” 

Willie drew back, reluctant to plunge in, but 
Bert threw an arm around his waist and lifted 
him into the deeper water where they both 
splashed about gaily for a few minutes. Then 
Bert swam off to join the others and Willie es- 
sayed a few strokes himself. 

“Not bad, Will,” the doctor cried from the 
shore. “Kick your legs more. That ’s it, 
that ’s the way,” and he waded out to encour- 
age the boy with a few suggestions and a lit- 
tle praise. 

Cousin Willie was very happy when the 
signal was given to come ashore. He began to 
feel a strong liking for these lively, fun-loving, 
manly fellows, who seemed to take especial 
pains to be kind to him. New forces stirred 
within his heart, and it seemed to him as if he 
were just beginning to be a real boy. All this 
served to strengthen certain commendable res- 
olutions which he had made, and which had 
180 


“HOIST THE FLAG!” 


been partially revealed to Lefty on the night 
previous, when the partnership was formed. 

The campers lingered on the beach to sun 
themselves, in spite of the doctor’s warning of 
possible sunburn. Then they dressed leisurely, 
and wandered up toward the bungalow. 

A dismal wailing, which reminded them of 
backyard fences at home, saluted their ears as 
they approached the house, and the boys at the 
head of the procession hurried forward to in- 
vestigate. No cat had been on the premises 
since their arrival, so they wondered whence 
came the unmistakably feline solo. 

“A cat!” Charlie gasped, as he halted in 
front of the piazza. “In a cage, too! Well, 
did you ever!” 

The others crowded around, and saw a small 
Maltese kitten imprisoned in a rough cage 
made of a crate. On this was tacked a sign 
bearing in red ink an inscription which read as 
follows : 

DANGER! DO NOT TOUCH! WILDCAT 
CAPTURED IN THE WOODS ON THE 
RAYMOND PLACE. MANY MORE AT 
LIBERTY! BEWARE! 

181 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


The kitten had a piece of red ribbon tied 
around its neck, and a little bell tinkled when 
it moved. 

4 ‘Must belong to some one in the neighbor- 
hood/’ Tom remarked. “We ’d better hang 
on to it until it ’s claimed.” 

‘ ‘ I wonder how it got into the crate, ’ 9 Edgar 
said in a puzzled tone. 

“Through the crater, most likely,” Tad 
promptly informed him, and there was a chorus 
of groans. 

The Beaver Campers indulged in consider- 
able speculation as to how and by whom the 
kitten had been placed on the bungalow piazza, 
but other matters claimed their attention, and 
they were too busy to attempt a complete solu- 
tion of the mystery. 

A large flag was owned by Beaver Camp, and 
Tom, with the help of Eliot and Charlie, at- 
tempted to attach it to halyards on a flagpole 
near a corner of the bungalow. This required 
some little time, and they had just completed 
the task when Bert came running up the path- 
way from the shore. 

“Hoist the flag!” he cried breathlessly, as he 
neared the house. “The girls are coming!” 

182 


CHAPTER X 


AN INHABITANT OF IVY-CLAD RUINS 

‘T THAT girls ?” Tom inquired, looking 

T V calmly at the excited messenger. 

“I think it ’s the same pair that we saw 
yesterday in the canoe. They ’re headed for 
our landing.” 

“All right! We ’ll run up the flag. You ’d 
better hustle down and act as a reception com- 
mittee. They ’ll need a guide if they come 
ashore. ’ ’ 

Bert nodded, and hurried back toward the 
landing, arriving just in time to see a canoe 
swing around in a quarter-circle and come 
alongside. In it were two of the girls who had 
been sitting on Mrs. Spencer’s piazza when the 
Beaver Campers arrived for their first meal on 
the previous day. 

“Excuse me for troubling you,” one of them 
said, blushing a hit. “We have lost a little 
Maltese kitten that we are very fond of. If 
183 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


you see it around anywhere, will you please 
catch it and return it to us! We are Mrs. 
Spencer’s nieces and are staying with her.” 

4 4 Why — why — I think we have your cat up at 
the bungalow,” Bert informed them, and his 
embarrassment can be excused when it is re- 
called how the cat arrived. “We found it there 
a little while ago when we came back from our 
swim. Does n’t it wear a red ribbon around its 
neck and a bell?” 

“Oh, yes!” the girls cried together. “That 
must be Cjax.” 

“Cjax?” questioned Bert, forgetting his em- 
barrassment in his surprise. 

The girls laughed at his evident astonish- 
ment. “We have four kittens,” one of them 
explained, “and we named them Ajax, Bjax, 
Cjax, and Djax.” 

“But how can you tell which is which?” Bert 
inquired. “I should think you ’d be calling 
Ajax Djax and Cjax Bjax.” 

“Oh, no! They have different markings, 
and we can always tell them apart. It ’s real 
funny, though, to hear people get them all 
mixed up when they talk about them.” 

“Won’t you come ashore?” Bert asked po- 
184 


IVY-CLAD RUINS 


litely, remembering his duty as a reception 
committee of one. “Or would you rather stay 
in the canoe and have me bring — er — ’jax down 
to you.” 

The girls looked at each other a little uncer- 
tainly. Then one of them said, “We ’d better 
go up and get Cjax, Dorothy. He may run 
away again if some one brings him down to us, 
and then, you know, we don’t want to trouble 
any one when it ’s not necessary.” 

Bert helped them to step up on the landing, 
then lifted the canoe out of the water, and 
placed it on the boards. The girls thanked him 
with well-bred courtesy, and walked with him 
along the winding path toward the bungalow. 

Bert was fervently hoping that the girls 
might not discover the manner in which Cjax 
had been delivered to the inhabitants of Beaver 
Camp, but, alas! a long-drawn wail smote the 
air as the girls approached the bungalow, and 
they exclaimed sympathetically. A moment 
later, they discovered their pet in strange 
quarters. 

“That ’s just the way we found it,” Bert 
explained, fearing that they might think the 
Beaver Campers guilty of cruelty to animals. 
12 185 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“We thought it was a pet and believed that 
some one would claim it soon. That ’s the 
reason we kept it in the crate. We were afraid 
it would run away if we let it out. ’ ’ 

Eliot appeared on the scene just then, carry- 
ing a hammer, and it was the work of but a 
moment to liberate the imprisoned kitten. 

“Poor Cjax!” murmured the girl addressed 
as Dorothy. “I wonder who shut you up in 
that thing.’ ’ 

“Just what we ’ve been trying to puzzle 
out,” Bert assured her. 

Then he told the girls of the sign which had 
saluted their arrival, of the mysterious removal 
of their possessions, and of the inscription 
which adorned the wheelbarrow. He did not 
add that Beaver Camp was reputed to be 
haunted, for he secretly hoped that this might 
not be the last visit of the girls, and feared that 
such news would frighten them away from the 
place. 

The girls promised to let the campers know 
if they learned anything that might throw light 
on the case, and then said that they would have 
to hurry back in order to reach home before 
supper. 


186 



They discovered their pet in strange quarters 















































































































































































































































IVY-CLAD RUINS 


All the boys except Edgar and Charlie, who 
were getting supper ready, escorted them down 
to the landing and helped them to embark. 
Cjax did not like the looks of the water and 
seemed determined to remain in Dorothy’s 
arms, but, as it is hardly possible to hold a 
kitten and manage a paddle at the same time, 
Cjax was deposited on the bottom of the canoe, 
which now was headed for home. 

He soon scrambled to his feet, clutched the 
side of the canoe, and looked over the edge to- 
ward the boys, meowing vigorously. Bert 
waved his hand. 

“Good-by, Cjax!” he cried. 

But really he was thinking less of the cat than 
of — of — other things. 

“Nice girls, those!” Jack commented. “I 
hope we ’ll know them better before the sum- 
mer ’s over. I dare say they ’d make bully 
good company if a fellow was well acquainted 
with them.” 

Walter nodded absent-mindedly. “They ’re 
not a bit stiff,” he added. “Just pleasant and 
polite, but not silly or fresh. These girls that 
act as if they had n’t any sense make me tired.” 

“I guess you ’re tired pretty often; aren’t 
189 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


you, Walter?” Tad asked slyly. “A lot of 
girls now are full of airs, and silly as all get 
out.” 

“That ’s true enough,” Tom declared. “If 
they only knew how much fun was made of 
them, they wouldn’t think themselves quite so 
stunning. These two girls were placed in a 
pretty embarrassing position, coming ashore 
here among a lot of strange fellows. Yet they 
carried themselves well, and didn’t do any- 
thing foolish. You can see that they ’re well- 
bred.” 

All unconscious of these compliments, the 
girls continued on their homeward way, arriv- 
ing safely in time for Cjax to enjoy the evening 
meal in the felicitous feline fellowship of Ajax, 
Bjax, and Djax. 

About the same time, in Beaver Camp, the 
boys were assembling to sample the specimens 
of camp fare which the amateur cooks pro- 
vided. 

“This business of sprawling around here on 
the grass to eat is highly informal, no doubt,” 
Bert remarked, “but what are you going to do 
when it rains?” 

“We must build some sort of shelter around 
190 


IVY-CLAD RUINS 


our fire,” the doctor replied. “In fact, we ’ d 
better have two fires — one for cooking purposes 
in the rear of the bungalow, with a protection 
over it and a wind-shield; another, out in the 
open, to be lighted after dark for warmth and 
cheer. On stormy nights, we ’ll kindle a fire 
over in the big fireplace in the corner of the 
assembly room.” 

“Yes, that ’s all right, but how about us?” 
Bert persisted. “I was n’t worrying about the 
fire. When it rains, where ’ll we eat?” 

“Oh, we ’ll take our meals inside,” Tom told 
him. 

“You generally take ’em inside, don’t you?” 
Lefty chuckled. “How about a dining-room 
table and chairs?” 

“We can make a table out of those boxes that 
our stuff came in,” Eliot suggested. 

1 ‘ Sure ! ’ ’ Tad agreed heartily. ‘ ‘ Every time 
we want to make it bigger we ’ll just add a box. 
Then it will be a kind of multiplication table. 
But if you sit on the floor and eat off a box, 
don’t you think it will be a trifle awkward? 
Don’t let me discourage you at all. I ’m will- 
ing to sit on the box and eat off the floor if it 
gets to be stylish up here. I only mention the 
191 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


matter because it is very close to my heart,” 
and he concluded with a comical flourish which 
drew howls of merriment from the others. 

“ There ’s a sawmill over in North Butland,” 
Tom observed. “Why not get some planed 
boards and make a few benches? Neighbor 
Pettingill can bring ’em over with the cots and 
trunks.” 

“We ought to have something to sit on,” 
Bert asserted vigorously. “We may have vis- 
itors some time, and you would n ’t want to ask 
them to sit on a trunk or a barrel.” 

“That’s right!” Lefty agreed. “Mr. Cjax 
Cat may call.” 

“I was n’t thinking of Cjax,” Bert protested. 

Finally it was agreed that some one should 
visit North Butland on the day following, and 
order enough lumber to make several benches 
for the comfort and convenience of the campers 
and their possible guests. 

The cots had not arrived at nine o’clock, 
so the party sought the comparative comfort of 
the camp beds laid out on the floor of the piazza. 
The night was warm and still. There was no 
moon, and the dark shadows of the woods 
seemed to shut the bungalow in on every side. 
192 


IVY-CLAD RUINS 


Edgar Sherman did not know how long he 
had been asleep when suddenly he opened his 
eyes and looked about him with a vague con- 
sciousness that something was amiss. Per- 
haps a muscle had become cramped ; perhaps an 
unusual noise had disturbed his slumber; per- 
haps a bad dream had aroused him. Whatever 
the cause, he awoke with a start, then raised 
himself on one elbow, and looked over the 
piazza. As far as he could see, each camper 
was in his place. Some were sleeping quietly, 
others were restless and perhaps uncomfort- 
able, but all were visibly and quite audibly 
asleep. 

Then he sat up to survey the grounds. Noth- 
ing unusual here, except — what was that light, 
gleaming for an instant along the path to the 
lake, then becoming invisible only to shine forth 
again ? It must be a lightning-bug, but no ! the 
fireflies darted hither and thither, and, by con- 
trast, their glowing lights were dim. What 
could it mean ? 

He crept to the end of the piazza, and peered 
into the dark shadows beyond. Involuntarily, 
he gasped in astonishment. There, beyond the 
bungalow, was another light so much like the 
193 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


first that it might have been a duplicate. It 
gleamed and signaled from the dense blackness 
of the woods near the camp road. 

For a minute, Edgar was paralyzed with be- 
wilderment by the uncanny swinging of these 
strange signal-lights. Then a novel plan sud- 
denly suggested itself to him, and he quietly 
disappeared inside the house. 

Hurrying through the hall and out the back 
door, he found that a pile of glowing embers 
still remained in the trench dug for the camp- 
fire. A few of these he hastily transferred to 
a small pan, using two pieces of wood as a pair 
of tongs. He stopped in the bungalow only 
long enough to grasp a couple of objects shaped 
like small cylinders, then returned to the piazza. 
Yes, the two lights could still be seen. Now 
they were drawing closer together and nearer 
to the bungalow. Onward they came, slowly, 
uncertainly, nearer, ever nearer. Now stealthy 
footsteps could be heard ; now a cautious whis- 
per reached Edgar’s ears; now the lights 
stopped, less than ten yards away. 

Edgar held one of the cylinders over the 
pan, close to the red-hot coals. Then, rising 
quickly, he hurled it toward the lights. 

194 


Yes, the two lights could still be seen 
































IVY-CLAD EUINS 


There was a sudden, sharp explosion, two 
distinct cries of terror, a crash and a sound of 
breaking glass. Then the intruders could be 
heard retreating in great haste. 

The explosion rudely awakened the campers, 
and Edgar was surrounded by an excited group 
of blanket-clad forms, all talking and question- 
ing at once. He told them of the invasion of 
their premises, of his discovery of the in- 
truders, of his suddenly formed plan to dis- 
comfit them, and of its noisy and successful 
culmination. Some of the hoys had purchased 
a few fireworks to celebrate the approaching 
Fourth of July. Edgar knew where the fire- 
crackers had been placed for safe-keeping, and, 
in this emergency, had thought of borrowing 
one to hurl at the trespassers. In the stillness, 
the explosion had sounded like the bursting of 
a bomb. Little wonder that the intruders were 
so terrified that they fled at top speed, leaving 
behind them a broken lantern. 

Of course, the camp was thoroughly awake 
now, and excited comments fell from the lips 
of one and another of the hoys. 

“You say that one came up from the lake, 
Ed!” cried Lefty. “Let ’s have a lantern. 
197 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

I ’ll go down and investigate if somebody ’ll 
come along. Wbo ’ll go with me!” 

No one cared to volunteer. The shock of 
sudden awakening and the sensational news, 
graphically and excitedly told by Edgar, had 
stricken them with the paralysis of panic, just 
for the moment. Suddenly, a voice cried: 

^1 ’ll go with you, Lefty!” 

The boys were dumfounded. It was Cousin 
Willie. 

“All right, kid! Put on your shoes and 
come along.” 

Some one had brought a lantern, and this 
was passed to Lefty without delay. Another 
camper furnished a match, and then the light 
gleamed forth, revealing, it must be confessed, 
some rather frightened expressions of counte- 
nance. Waiting only long enough to slip on 
their shoes, and to wrap their blankets about 
them, Lefty and Cousin Willie hurried out into 
the darkness. Then the younger boy discov- 
ered that he had his right foot in his left shoe 
and right shoe on his left foot, but he was too 
greatly excited to pay much attention to the 
discomfort. 

They made as little noise as possible and kept 
198 


IVY-CLAD RUINS 


close together as they hurried down the path, 
now stumbling over some obstruction, now 
colliding with a tree when they failed to 
notice a turn in the path, but always keeping 
steadily on, until, finally, they stood on the 
landing. 

Lefty flashed the lantern around, but there 
was only one thing that betrayed the presence 
of the marine division of the invaders. To one 
of the little posts on the landing, a piece of rope 
still was tied. Inspection of the end showed 
that it had been cut with a sharp knife. 

‘ 4 He ’s gone, Willie ! ’ ’ Lefty cried. ‘ ‘ Listen ! 
maybe we can hear something.’ ’ 

Faintly over the water, came a sound of 
splashing oars, growing ever more distant. 

“Hm-m-m! That man can’t get away fast 
enough!” Lefty chuckled. Then, turning to- 
ward his junior partner, he said in a tone of 
genuine admiration, “Say, kid, you had your 
nerve with you, all right, to come down here 
with me in the dark. I noticed that none of the * 
others were exactly enthusiastic about com- 
ing.” 

“The doctor would have come, most likely,” 
Willie made answer, ‘ ‘ only he did n ’t know we 
199 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


were going. He and Tad were looking for that 
other man — the one who came over from the 
camp road.” 

Lefty could hear Willie’s teeth chattering 
now, and his voice trembled as he formed the 
words, though he tried hard to control it. 

“Well, you get the credit, anyhow,” Lefty 
observed. “I think you deserve promotion, 
kid. Hereafter, I ’m not going to call you 
Willie or Cousin Willie. From this time for- 
ward, I christen thee Bill.” 

Cousin Willie was so greatly overcome that 
his terror was banished and he gasped in 
pleased surprise. This honor meant more to 
him just then than a doctor’s degree, and he 
felt well repaid for forcing himself to appear 
courageous at a time when he really was quak- 
ing with fear. 

“Do you mean it, Lefty?” cried the delighted 
boy. “Will you really call me Bill? I ’d like 
it ever so much if you would, but I ’m afraid I 
wasn’t very brave, after all. I was awfully 
scared coming down here.” 

“So was I,” Lefty cheerfully confessed. 
“You can’t help getting scared sometimes, Bill, 
but a gritty fellow will pull himself together 
200 


IVY-CLAD RUINS 


and do what he thinks ought to he done, whether 
he ’s scared stiff or not.” 

“You said you ’d stick to me, Lefty, and I 
wasn’t going to have you come down here all 
alone when I could risk it as well as you.” 

“Bully for you, Bill! You ’ve made a fine 
start! You Ve got all the fellows sitting up 
and taking notice. Keep up the good work, and 
you ’ll surprise yourself. See if you don’t !” 

And the boy mentally resolved that he would. 

Returning to the bungalow, the pair reported 
the discovery of the rope, and this added a new 
theme of discussion to the chronicle of the in- 
vasion. 

There was little more sleep in Beaver Camp 
that night, but the sun rose early and made the 
restless period of waiting seem shorter. As 
soon as it was light enough, the boys explored 
the grounds, hoping to find some further clue to 
the identity of their unbidden guests, but noth- 
ing suspicious could be discovered, except a 
broken lantern. 

The bright sunshine and the quiet, peaceful 
atmosphere of early morning in a measure 
calmed their fears, and they allowed themselves 
to be persuaded that the intruders had come 

201 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


with a purpose mischievous rather than mali- 
cious. They fancied that possibly the parties 
responsible for the peculiar appearance of Cjax 
might have returned to regain the cat and play 
some further trick on the unsuspecting camp- 
ers. At any rate, the headlong, precipitate 
flight of the trespassers proved that they were 
badly frightened, and the boys believed that 
they would not soon venture upon property so 
vigilantly guarded and so noisily protected. 

This was the day that had been set apart for 
work on the athletic field, and, after an early 
breakfast, the transformation was attempted. 
It was an ambitious undertaking to convert a 
rough clearing into a baseball diamond, with 
possibilities of basketball, tennis, and a running 
track; but the boys were determined to over- 
come the natural obstacles, and this seemed to 
assure success. 

It was hard work — digging, leveling, re- 
moving rocks and stones, cutting down bushes, 
and trying with a sickle to get rid of the tall 
grass. They were glad to stop at half-past 
ten, and plunge into the lake to cool off, and to 
gain rest and refreshment from the change in 
exercise. 


202 


IVY-CLAD RUINS 


They went to work again after dinner, for it 
seemed as if only a beginning had been made 
during the morning. Tad and Lefty were ex- 
cused from further toil, having announced their 
intention of visiting the sawmill at North Rut- 
land in order to purchase lumber for the 
benches. 

“It ’s hot here in the sun,” Lefty declared, 
when they were on the main highway. “Let ’s 
cut through those woods. It ’ll be a lot cooler, 
and it looks as if we ’d come out again on the 
main road. See, it bends around, just the way 
the woods run.” 

Climbing over a rickety rail fence, they en- 
tered the woods and walked along in the shade. 
At first, they tried to keep the road in sight, 
but, finding this difficult, they decided on what 
was believed to be a parallel course, and held 
to that. Presently, the trees became more scat- 
tered, and the boys could see fields beyond. A 
barbed wire fence barred their progress now, 
but they scrambled through, each holding the 
wires apart for the other to crawl between. 
Once on the other side, however, no trace of the 
road was visible. 

“Oh, it ’s just over here a little way,” Tad 
203 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


said, halting and pointing to the right. “I 
wonder what that funny-looking thing over 
yonder is.” 

Lefty looked at it a minute, then suggested, 
“Maybe it *s a ruined castle, Tad, like those they 
build along the Rhine to make it romantic.” 

“Ruined mill, more likely! Or perhaps the 
ruins of a fort! You know this is Revolution- 
ary country all through here, and that could 
easily he an old fort or some such thing. Let ’s 
take a look at it.” 

The building in question had been constructed 
of brick, and appeared to have been partially 
destroyed by fire. Its blackened and crumbling 
walls and gaping window-openings were almost 
completely covered with ivy, which shielded 
their bare ugliness and softened the appearance 
of extreme desolation. 

The boys changed their course and ap- 
proached the old building. Suddenly, a dog 
sprang out, barking and growling angrily. 
Close behind him, came a man almost as savage 
in appearance. He held a heavy stick in his 
hand, and as he approached the boys, he 
shouted excitedly: 

“Get out of here! Get out of here!” 

204 


CHAPTER XI 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE AND IN THE ENEMY ’s 
COUNTRY 

T HE boys were so startled by the sudden 
appearance of these savage guardians of 
the ruins that they neither moved nor spoke. 
The dog halted within a yard of their feet, 
growling in a manner most trying to the nerves, 
while the man flourished his club wildly, mean- 
while shouting commands to leave the premises 
and threats of dire vengeance if they presumed 
to delay their going. 

Presently, Tad found his voice. 

“We are trying to reach North Rutland/ ’ he 
said in a pacific tone. “Will you be kind 
enough to tell us how to find the road? We 
seem to have lost our way.” 

“We didn’t know that we were trespassing 
on your land,” Lefty added. “We got off the 
road, and now we ’re trying to get back on 
again. We ’re not going to steal your — er — 
13 205 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

your dog. All we want is to get to North Rut- 
land/ J 

The man looked suspiciously at them for a 
moment, remaining silent the while. Then he 
spoke sharply to the dog, and abruptly turned 
back toward the ruins, his canine companion 
reluctantly following. 

“ Thank you!” Lefty called after him. 

The man swung around and strode toward 
him, while Lefty defiantly held his ground. 
About four feet distant, he stopped and raised 
his club menacingly. 

“What did you say?” he demanded angrily. 

“I merely desired to assure you of our appre- 
ciation of your great kindness in directing us 
toward North Rutland,” Lefty replied calmly. 
“Not many men, I fear, would have taken so 
much trouble for strangers.” 

The hermit glared at him uncertainly, as if 
he had failed to comprehend the boy’s sarcasm. 
Then he pointed toward a fence in the distance 
and said roughly: 

“See that fence? Just keep following that 
till you come to the road. Now clear out! If 
you come sneaking around here again, you ’ll 
wish that you ’d stayed home.” 

206 



He stopped and raised his club menacingly 
























AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


“We do now,” Lefty murmured. 

“And if you tell anybody that you found me 
here — well, I ’ll make you wish that you ’d kept 
still! Get along now!” 

“Au re voir,” Tad responded, bowing po- 
litely. “Very glad to have met you, sir.” 

They turned away then, keeping a sharp 
lookout for the dog, and tried to cross the field 
at a pace swift enough to be prudent, though 
not so rapid as to suggest undignified flight. 
If their steps were a bit hurried, no one was 
around who would be likely to ridicule their ap- 
parent haste. Several times they looked back, 
and each time found the monarch of the ruins 
watching them, the dog meanwhile crouched 
near him. The figures hardly moved as long as 
the boys remained in sight, and they could al- 
most imagine that the savage growl of the 
four-footed sentinel still menaced their safety 
and peace of mind. 

“Pleasant man to meet,” Lefty ventured 
after a time. 

“Extremely! So amiable and sweet-tem- 
pered ! Why, I ’m sure he ’d go out of his way 
to help a stranger. I think he ’s crazy, Lefty. 
That ’s the reason I spoke gently to him. I ’ve 
209 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

heard that it ’s better to humor an insane per- 
son. ’ ’ 

“I don’t believe he ’s been humored much. 
He didn’t seem ’specially humorous. Do you 
think the dog was loony, too!” 

‘ 4 Sure! He had the same wild look in his 
eyes.” 

4 ‘And the same pleasant voice. I don’t know 
what ’s going to become of us, Tad. We lease 
a camp, pay our hard-earned ducats in advance 
for it, and expect to have a quiet, peaceful time. 
Then we arrive on the scene and find a sign 
stuck up warning us not to land. We arrange 
to have our stuff lugged over from the railroad 
station, and lo ! it appeareth in the woods. We 
lay us down in peace to sleep, and behold! 
stealthy stealers steal stealthily upon us. We 
splash in the lake and find Cjax in our merry 
midst. We walk peacefully through the ver- 
dant meadows, and a crazy man with a loony 
dog sort of intimate that our presence is unde- 
sirable. The strain is awful! And just think 
— we ’ve been here only one full day and parts 
of two others. What will become of us before 
ten weeks roll around?” 

“I can see where we ’ll all have to take the 
210 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


rest cure at one of these health resorts,” Tad 
gloomily predicted. “I think I ’ll write ahead 
and reserve an easy chair in the sun-parlor. 
Isn’t our life quiet and restful up here? No 
noise, no excitement, no thrills — just a sleepy, 
monotonous existence — not ! ’ ’ 

After a little, they found that the hermit had 
correctly informed them, for, by following the 
fence which he had pointed out, they came pres- 
ently upon the road to North Rutland. The 
afternoon sun blazed down upon the highway 
with almost no shade to relieve the torrid rays, 
and the light breeze felt like the hot blast of a 
furnace. 

The boys did not feel inclined to hurry, so it 
was mid-afternoon when they reached the rail- 
way station. Wandering over to the freight 
house, they hailed with delight a dozen long, flat 
bundles tied with burlap wrappings, and con- 
signed to ‘ ‘ Thomas Townsend, Beaver Camp, 
North Rutland, Vermont.” These were the 
much-desired cots. 

Neighbor Pettingill announced his intention 
of bringing the cots and the two trunks not yet 
delivered over to Beaver Camp on the morning 
following, and they quite easily persuaded him 
211 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


to add to his load such lumber as would be re- 
quired for half-a-dozen benches. 

Next they visited the sawmill. 

“We want board, Tad,” Lefty whispered, 
“but not table-board. Don’t let the man get 
mixed up and charge us for table-board when 
we want it for benches.” 

“When you ’re buying lumber, you have to 
plank down your money in advance,” Tad re- 
sponded, and Lefty collapsed. 

Having purchased their supplies, they pre- 
pared to return to Beaver Camp. 

“Do you suppose they sell ice cream here or 
soda water ? ’ ’ Lefty asked, looking up and down 
the village street. “I think a banana split or 
a maple nut frappe would be tasty.” 

“Maybe they sell ice cream at the feed 
store,” Tad responded doubtfully, “but don’t 
go to calling for any of those fancy mixtures. 
If you do, the natives ’ll think you ’re trying to 
make fun of them. Where shall we go — to the 
tinsmith’s or the shoemaker’s!” 

< i TtL ere ’s not much variety to confuse us, for 
which let us be truly thankful. Besides the 
railway station and the general store, there is 
only the sawmill and a feed store in addition to 
212 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


the two industrious citizens you just mentioned. 
Suppose we tackle the general store / 9 

This shop displayed ancient confectionery in 
a glass case, and sold root beer, ginger ale, sar- 
saparilla, and birch beer in bottles (eight cents 
each, and a rebate of two cents for the return 
of the bottle), but these beverages were not kept 
on ice, so Tad and Lefty decided to he content 
with a drink of well water along the homeward 
way. 

Just as they turned away from the counter, 
two young men entered the store, and the hoys 
had a good view of them. Their clothing and 
manner revealed the fact that they were not 
natives of any farming district. Indeed, they 
appeared like college students enjoying a sum- 
mer holiday. 

One of the young men, turning suddenly, dis- 
covered the scrutiny of the two hoys. For a 
moment, he appeared startled, then, abruptly 
turning his back, he became much interested in 
the wares displayed for sale. Tad and Lefty 
walked slowly out of the door, but, once on the 
piazza, they looked back, and found both youths 
watching them with distinctly more than casual 
interest. 


213 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Well, I hope they ’ll know us when they see 
us again,” was Tad’s comment, and Lefty re- 
sponded : 

“I wonder how those fellows came into the 
family. They seemed surprised to see us, and 
very much interested in something about us — 
what it was is more than I can tell. Well, I ’m 
shock-proof now. Nothing that happens here- 
after will upset me. Mysteries are getting to 
he every-day affairs.” 

1 1 Maybe one of them is that crazy old hermit 
in disguise.” 

4 1 Sure ! Maybe the other fellow is the dog. ’ ’ 

Several other theories, some more sensible, 
some equally ridiculous were advanced during 
the homeward trip. They discussed the her- 
mit, too, without reaching any agreement as to 
his sanity. Tad thought him crazy, while Lefty 
believed him to be merely surly and ugly. 
Neither could advance conclusive proof, so 
each held to his original idea. 

They had agreed to say nothing about their 
adventure except to their fellow-campers, and, 
as it now was close to supper-time, they post- 
poned the recital of their experiences until the 
big camp-fire was lighted, and all had gathered 
214 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


around it. Then, with all the dramatic power 
of which they were capable, Lefty and Tad re- 
lated their adventure, concluding by mention- 
ing the peculiar interest which a certain pair 
of young men had taken in them at the general 
store in North Rutland. 

To say that the boys were excited is stating 
the case very conservatively. 

“What kind of dog was it, Lefty ?” Charlie 
asked, after the first torrent of questions and 
exclamations had spent its force. 

“The kind that such a man would be most 
likely to have,” was the innocent response. 
“He was a little black-and-tan. ’ ’ 

“But we were afraid of turning black and 
blue,” Tad supplemented. “It looked very 
much as if we might when those two brutes got 
after us. It was a big dog, Charlie. Also it 
was a fierce dog, and I think it was a cross be- 
tween a wolf and an elephant — very cross, in 
fact.” 

“What do you suppose the old fellow does 
out there in the wilderness?” Walter asked 
curiously. 

“Maybe he ’s one of the witches of Macbeth, 
and the dog ’s another. ’ ’ 

215 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“But there were three. Where ’s the third 
witch!’ ’ 

“Give it up! Attending a dress rehearsal, 
maybe. ’ ’ 

“I wonder if he really is crazy.” 

“He certainly acted crazy,” Tad affirmed. 
“He had a wild, vacant look in his eyes, and you 
ought to have seen how worked up he got when 
we didn’t clear out just as soon as he told us 
to.” 

“He may he crazy,” Lefty admitted, “but it 
seemed to me that he was more ugly than 
batty. Perhaps he acted sort of wild and 
loony just to make us believe he had wheels in 
his head. I believe the old fellow has some- 
thing out there that he does n’t want anybody 
to see. He keeps this dog, a great, big, savage 
brute, and it ’s not likely that any one ’d go 
near the place while he was around. Perhaps 
he has a wonderful invention that he ’s half 
crazy about, and does n’t want to run any risk 
of having somebody come snooping around to 
steal his ideas. That wouldn’t be very un- 
usual. ’ ’ 

“Sure! He may be building a new kind of 
aeroplane,” Eliot suggested. 

216 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


“That ’s right! He seemed to go up in the 
air when he saw ns coming.” 

“I ’d like to find out what he ’s np to,” Jack 
ventured eagerly. “I wonder if we could coax 
the dog away and explore those ruins.” 

Lefty looked doubtful. “Perhaps we could, 
but I ’m afraid that dog will be a hard animal 
to coax, Jack. He seems to have very positive 
ideas — dogged determination, I suppose. If 
you attempt to persuade him to leave the prem- 
ises, I advise you to do it by telephone.” 

“Send him a wireless, Jack,” Edgar sug- 
gested. 1 6 Fling a thought-wave at him. ’ ’ 

“Do you suppose he sleeps nights?” Bert 
asked. 

“Maybe he does,” Tad replied doubtfully, 
“but I don’t believe he ’s a very sound sleeper, 
and it wouldn’t surprise me a bit to hear that 
he walked in his sleep. I ’d hate to fall over 
him in the dark. He has a peevish, fretful 
manner, and his society would be most unpleas- 
ant after such an accident.” 

“I ’d like to have a look at that place,” Jack 
declared. “I ’m curious to know what the old 
fellow is doing ’way out there in the wilder- 
ness.” 


217 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“It ’s our duty to call on him,” Charlie 
added. “He ’s one of our neighbors, and we 
ought to get acquainted with him. I wonder if 
he has reception days.” 

“Considering the dog, hadn’t we better call 
at night?” Lefty inquired. “An evening call 
at nine or ten would be quite dressy. I think 
we shall find him in, and if he and the dog are 
asleep, of course we won’t be rude enough to 
disturb them.” 

“Why not go to-night?” Jack urged. 
“We ’re all worked up to it now, and if we put 
it off, likely as not the doctor won’t let us go, 
or somebody ’ll back out and break up the 
party. Let ’s start now — right away. It ’ll 
be dark when we get there.” 

“By the way, where is the doctor?” Eliot 
asked. “I haven’t seen him since we finished 
supper. ’ ’ 

“He ’s gone up to see Mrs. Spencer. She 
sent for him to come at some convenient time, 
so he lit out as soon as we finished eating. 
Didn’t you notice how he was fixed up? Tell 
you what! purple and fine linen aren’t in it 
with the doctor on dress parade.” 

“I wish I had a chance,” Jack sighed mourn- 
218 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


fully. “All you fellows have your fixings, but 
my trunk has been gathering dust over there in 
North Rutland, waiting for Neighbor Pettingill 
to get ready to bring it over here. It ’s a good 
thing I had some stuff in my suit-case, or I ’d 
look like a scarecrow.” 

“Far he it from me to suggest that you do, 
anyhow,” Lefty retorted mischievously. “I 
have wondered why the pretty crows with their 
musical voices passed us by, but Jack has 
hinted at the reason.” 

“Crows steer for the corn, and we haven’t 
any. ’ ’ 

“Have n’t we? You just look in the kitchen 
closet, Jacko! I saw a whole can of corn on 
the shelf this afternoon.” 

“What were you doing in the kitchen 
closet?” 

“Oh — er — why, I just looked in to see if 
there was anything needed in North Rutland, 
but we ’ve decided to do our shopping across 
the lake hereafter, haven’t we, Tad?” 

“That ’s what we have!” was the good- 
natured response. “They don’t sell ice cream 
or banana splits or maple frappes in North Rut- 
land.” 


219 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


4 ‘Of course not !” Tom exclaimed indignantly. 
“They sell wholesome food like beans and flour 
and peppermint sticks. You haven’t any 
money to waste on those fizzy things, Tad. 
My word for it, you ’ll need it all before the 
summer is over.” 

4 4 That ’s the worst of having a little brother, ’ ’ 
Tad complained. 4 4 He lets out all the family 
secrets. Besides, proud critic, I have financial 
resources that you know not of. I have this 
day sold unto Cousin Willie a two-cent stamp 
and a postal card, receiving for the same three 
cents in cash,” and Tad rattled the coins 
triumphantly in his pocket. 

4 4 If you ’re real good, we ’ll give you some 
ice cream to-morrow,” Tom promised. 4 4 It ’ll 
be the Fourth of July, and we ’re going to cele- 
brate. ’ ’ 

4 4 Well, I hope old ’Zekiel Pettingill will cele- 
brate by bringing my trunk over,” Jack sighed. 
4 4 This suit is getting a trifle monotonous.” 

4 4 Cheer up, Jacko!” Lefty remarked consol- 
ingly. 4 4 When you have only one suit, you 
don’t have to worry about what you ’ll put on. 
It might be lots worse. Just suppose you were 
sailing over the briny deep to visit the crowned 
220 


ABOUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


heads of Europe, with your baggage on a differ- 
ent steamer. I ’ve heard of such tragedies.” 

Jack shook his head gloomily, and refused to 
be comforted. “I could be cheerful, too, Lefty, 
if your outfit was missing,” he declared. 
“It ’s lots easier to bear trials philosophically 
when they strike some one else.” 

“Now, Jacko! You know that your tender 
^feart would be wrung with pity if my things 
had turned up missing,” Lefty remonstrated. 

“Speaking of being without things reminds 
me of our furniture,” Eliot remarked. “Did 
you get the boards for those benches while you 
were at the bustling metropolis?” 

“Oh, yes,” Tad assured him. “Can’t we 
make them up in the mission style, Eliot? It 
would be real swell to have the bungalow fur- 
nished that way.” 

“I was just planning for some straight, plain 
benches,” Eliot responded, shaking his head 
doubtfully. “Of course, we want them extra 
strong. ’ ’ 

“And extra soft?” Edgar inquired. 

“Why — er — no! Who ever heard of soft 
benches? Such luxury wouldn’t be good for 
us, I ’m afraid.” 


221 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


4 4 We can talk furniture all day to-morrow, ” 
Jack reminded them, 4 4 but just now there are 
other things on the program. Are we going to 
call on our mysterious neighbor ? It ’s a quar- 
ter past eight now. If we ’re going, we ought 
to get started.” 

4 4 So say we all of us,” Tad agreed. 4 4 Get 
the lanterns and any other trappings of war 
that the camp can furnish. Then let us sally 
forth to fling the gage of battle before yonder 
bold knight of the ivy-clad castle.” 

4 4 It ’ll be as dark as tar pretty soon,” Bert 
announced. 4 4 Do you two fellows know the 
way?” 

4 4 Aye, follow the trusty guide!” Lefty an- 
nounced with a dramatic flourish. 4 4 We will be 
in yonder moated grange (whatever that is) be- 
fore another hour hath rolled over our heads.” 

They walked rapidly along the camp road, 
and followed the highway until they found the 
place where Tad and Lefty had come out, after 
their encounter with the hermit and his dog. 
This spot had been carefully noted by the two 
boys for possible future use. 

Here they turned, climbed over a stone wall, 
and, with lanterns unlighted, crept along in the 
222 


AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 


shadows. No one ventured to speak, and if 
some hearts were beating faster than usual, 
perhaps it was only reasonable to expect such 
a coincidence with the exciting venture which 
claimed their attention. 

Tad and Lefty were in the lead, the others 
following close behind them. All at once, the 
guides stopped and pointed across the fence. 
The others looked in the direction indicated, 
and could see a dark mass off in the middle of 
the field beyond. This was the ivy-clad ruin. 

Silently and quietly, they climbed over the 
fence and cautiously approached the abode of 
the mysterious hermit. Not a sound betrayed 
the presence of either man or dog, and the boys 
grew holder as they advanced. Step by step, 
they drew nearer. Now they were close to the 
walls. 

Cousin Willie had an electric pocket-lamp 
that displayed a bright light when a button was 
pressed, so Lefty mounted the smaller boy on 
his shoulders, directing him to look inside the 
nearest window and see what was within. 

Determined to appear brave, although he 
really was much frightened, the hoy steadied 
himself against the wall, and took from his 
14 223 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


pocket the little flash-lamp. His hand trem- 
bled violently, hut it was so dark that the boys 
could not see his agitation, for which Willie was 
thankful. 

The wall was thicker than from the outside it 
appeared to be, so Willie stepped up on the 
broad bottom of the window opening, and edged 
forward, feeling his way carefully. 

The bricks and mortar had been there for 
many years, and even his slight weight was 
more than could be sustained. While the boys 
waited eagerly for the flash of the lamp, and 
nerved themselves for any sensational result 
that might follow, they heard a sudden crack- 
ing, crumbling sound, a frightened cry, and a 
soft, dull thud. 

At once, they realized what had happened. 
Cousin Willie had fallen inside the ruins. 


224 


CHAPTER XII 


AN ADVENTURE AFTER DARK 

T O the rescue !” cried Lefty, dashing 
around toward the doorway at the rear 
of the crumbling structure. “This way!” 

Tad and Jack paused to light the lanterns 
which they carried. The others rushed for- 
ward immediately, and entered the ruined 
building. When the two lanterns arrived, their 
light illuminated the interior, revealing piles 
of brick, mortar, and rubbish of several sorts. 
Cousin Willie was lying upon a pile of hay in 
one corner, and his position scarcely had 
changed since his fall. He seemed too greatly 
terrified to move or speak. Except for him- 
self and the rescuing party, the place was de- 
serted. 

Tad hurried over to the corner. “Hurt, 
Will?” he cried anxiously. 

The boy sat up, pale and trembling, but 
silent. 


225 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“It ’s all right, Will,” Tad went on con- 
solingly. “Nobody ’s around, you see, except 
our crowd. The old hermit and Fido have 
skipped. I guess the fall knocked your breath 
out, didn’t it?” 

Willie nodded and drew a long, quivering 
breath. Lefty rushed forward and lifted him 
in his arms. 

“The chi-i-i-i-ld is saved!” he announced in 
a dramatic tremolo. 

“But where ’s the dog?” Bert cried in sur- 
prise, picking up a stout club that lay near 
him. 

“Fido seems to have skipped to the happy 
hunting grounds,” Tad announced. “May his 
bark find a quiet harbor.” 

“Ah! how poetic!” Bert murmured, poking 
around with his stick. “It is a mighty good 
thing for Willie that the old man and his dog 
are not around. I thought he was a goner 
when that wall gave way.” 

4 4 That ’s right ! I certainly thought it was 
all up with him,” Eliot added. “He chose a 
good spot to fall, over there on the hay. It ’s a 
lot more comfortable to land on that than on a 
226 



“I guess the fall knocked your breath out, didn’t it?” 




AN ADVENTUEE AFTEE DAEK 


pile of bricks such as he would have found in 
the opposite corner.’ ’ 

“Bill showed artistic judgment in picking 
out a landing-place,” Lefty agreed. “If only 
he ’d gone to sleep, he might have been taken 
for ‘Little Boy Blue’ — ‘under the haystack fast 
asleep.’ ” 

Lefty had been talking in a low tone to 
Cousin Willie, in an attempt to revive his cour- 
age, and the boy now had quite recovered from 
his fright. Soon he joined the others in their 
explorations. 

Having found the ruins deserted, the Beaver 
Campers felt perfectly secure, and began a lei- 
surely inspection of the dilapidated building. 
In the early days of its history, it might have 
been a fort, or perhaps an old mill, with a wheel 
turned by some stream that now flowed in an- 
other channel. The walls were smoked, and 
the tops had crumbled into a broken, irregular 
line. There was no roof, and the rear wall had 
in it a gaping opening large enough to admit a 
two-horse truck. Here and there, the vines 
which covered the outside had forced them- 
selves in through the openings, and reached out 
229 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


bravely in an effort to cover tbe bare ugliness 
of tbe interior. 

It appeared probable that the owner of the 
premises had stored some farm produce in the 
building during the months past, for a pile of 
old hay lay in one corner (fortunately for 
Cousin Willie) and several barrels and baskets 
were lying on the ground. 

A rude shelter, made of brush and boards, 
marked the lodgings of the hermit and his dog. 
A fire still smoldered before it, and empty 
cans were scattered about in disorderly con- 
fusion. 

Bert poked around with his stick in an in- 
quisitive fashion, but found nothing especially 
interesting, so he threw himself down upon the 
pile of hay to wait until the others had satis- 
fied their curiosity. 

As he touched the hay, he uttered a 
smothered exclamation of pain, and sprang to 
his feet, rubbing one shoulder caressingly. 

‘ 4 What ’s the matter, Bert?” Edgar cried in 
surprise. 

4 ‘ Ow ! There ’s something hard and sharp 
down there,” Bert groaned, “and I landed 
right on it.” 


230 


AN ADVENTURE AFTER DARK 


“ Maybe it ’s Fido,” Tad suggested. “He ’s 
hard and sharp.’ ’ 

‘‘Take a look, Bert,” Charlie urged. “See 
what ’s hidden down there.” 

Cousin Willie had somewhat disarranged the 
pile of hay when he fell, and Bert’s heavier 
weight had more noticeably crushed and flat- 
tened it. Still grunting and nursing his 
wounded shoulder, Bert grasped his stick and 
thrust it into the pile. It struck something 
hard and solid, and he stooped to investigate. 

Just then, the stillness of the night was 
broken by a sound which struck terror into the 
hearts of the boys. It was the angry barking 
of a dog, softened somewhat by distance, but 
near enough to make cold chills run up and 
down the several spinal columns of the Beaver 
Campers. 

‘ ‘ They ’re coming back ! ’ ’ Tad cried in alarm. 
“Oh, joy! Put out the lights and run for all 
you ’re worth ! ’ ’ and he proceeded to set a 
glorious example. 

In an instant, the lighted lanterns were ex- 
tinguished, and the boys were scrambling 
through the opening in the rear wall. Onward 
they ran, stumbling over obstructions, breath- 
231 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


less, frightened, yet spurred to their best pace 
by the deep, savage barking that seemed to be 
coming alarmingly near. 

They reached the fence, after what seemed 
like a desperately long interval, and, somehow, 
they scrambled over it and reached the partial 
security of the farther side. Now they had 
only to follow this, and they would reach the 
road without much difficulty. 

“I suppose there ’s no use trying to be 
quiet,’ ’ Lefty gasped. ‘ 4 They can’t hear us 
back there, and, anyhow, we made enough noise 
for a regiment, getting across that field.” 

“ We ’ll be all right if only that blood-thirsty 
brute doesn’t take a notion to follow us,” was 
Tad’s somewhat breathless reply. “I suppose 
he can pick up our trail all right if the old 
fellow lets him.” 

“Oh, yes! It would be right in his line. 
Where ’s Bill!” 

“I don’t know. Is n’t he in the crowd some- 
where ! ’ ’ 

“Can’t see him! Hold up a minute, you fel- 
lows ! Light one of the lanterns and we ’ll see 
if anybody ’s missing. Who ’s seen Bill!” 

“He was with me when we climbed over the 
232 


AN ADVENTURE AFTER DARK 


fence,' ' Tom reported, “but I have n't seen him 
since. ' ' 

Jack lighted his lantern, and the boys gath- 
ered around him. One-two-three-four-five-six- 
seven-eight-nine — Cousin Willie was not with 
them! 

“He 's probably fallen down somewhere," 
Walter suggested. ‘ ‘ Seems to me I heard some 
one fall near me, right after we hopped over 
the fence. I didn't pay much attention then, 
because I took it for granted that whoever it 
was would pick himself up and hustle along. ' ' 

“Hark!" cried Eliot. “Listen to that dog. 
Isn't he coming nearer?" 

“He surely is!" Lefty muttered anxiously. 
“You fellows had better run along. Leave a 
lantern with me. I 'll climb up in this tree, 
and, if the dog is following our trail, likely as 
not he 'll run right by me. After he 's gone on, 
I 'll walk back and look for Bill." 

There was no time for argument or delay, 
because the sound of excited barking was com- 
ing closer to them, and it seemed apparent 
that the dog was in eager pursuit of the fleeing 
boys. 

Lefty fastened the lantern to his belt, and 
233 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


climbed carefully into a tree not far from the 
fence, while the others hurried on toward the 
highway. He wondered vaguely what would 
happen if the dog should overtake the rapidly 
retreating campers, and ardently hoped that 
they might reach the shelter of the bungalow 
before their four-footed pursuer did. 

For some minutes, Lefty sat in this arboreal 
shelter. The sound of rapid footsteps died 
away in the distance. Nearer and nearer came 
the dog. Now Lefty could hear him crashing 
through the bushes close at hand. At the foot 
of the tree, he stopped. Here it was that the 
boys had stood, and the dog, after a short 
pause, ran around uncertainly, trying to pick up 
the scent. 

Lefty held his breath in suspense, thankful 
that, even should the dog discover him, he could 
not climb aloft in pursuit. Just then, Lefty 
heard a voice which he at once recognized as be- 
longing to the hermit, and realized that the dog 
was being urged forward by his master, who 
showed a fierce eagerness to overtake and 
punish those who had so boldly invaded his 
domain. 

In a minute or two, the dog found the scent 

234 


AN ADVENTURE AFTER DARK 


and ran forward, the man hurrying in pursuit. 
Lefty felt relieved, however, for he judged that 
his fellow-campers must have reached the road 
by this time, and he believed that, once there, 
they would be able to return to Beaver Camp 
without mishap. 

Lefty waited until the dog and his master had 
passed on. Then he scrambled to the ground 
and unfastened the lantern from his belt. He 
plunged a hand inside his pocket, then quickly 
withdrew it and searched eagerly through his 
other pockets. All at once, he remembered 
that he had given his matches to Jack, so that 
now he had no means of lighting the lantern 
which he had so carefully shielded in ascending 
and descending the tree. 

“Thunder !” he muttered. “Also lightning, 
and a few hailstones for good measure!” 

There was no way of overcoming the diffi- 
culty, however, so Lefty made the best of exist- 
ing conditions, and picked his way carefully 
over the course which the boys had followed in 
coming from the fence to the point where the 
absence of Cousin Willie had been discovered. 
Every minute or two, he whistled cautiously, 
and soon heard a faint answering signal. 

235 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Is that you, Bill?” he called, as loudly as 
he dared. 

“Yes. All right, Lefty! Where are you?” 
and Lefty saw the bright light of Willie’s 
pocket-lamp gleaming in the distance. 

“Here! Straight ahead! More to the right 
now! Port your helm! Well, Bill, I ’m glad 
to find you again. Where were you ? ’ ’ 

“I caught my foot in getting over the fence,” 
the junior partner explained, “and tumbled 
down in a lot of weeds and stuff. It didn’t 
hurt me, hut I got all mixed up and turned the 
wrong way — opposite to the other fellows. 
When I found out what I ’d done, I heard the 
dog coming, so I was afraid to move until he 
got out of the way.” 

“It strikes me that you ’re getting more than 
your fair share of excitement out of this thing, 
Bill,” Lefty responded with a little chuckle. 
“I ’m glad you have that electric lamp. I ’ve 
got a lantern, but no matches, and, somehow, an 
unlighted lantern doesn’t give much illumina- 
tion.” 

“I have a match-box,” Will said, searching 
through his pockets. “Here, help yourself!” 

Lefty gratefully “borrowed” a match, and 
236 


AN ADVENTURE AFTER DARK 


lighted the lantern. Then they set ont together 
for the highway, and, as they went, Lefty re- 
lated the experiences of the party from the 
time of Cousin Willie’s accident until the dis- 
covery of his absence. 

‘ ‘ Is n ’t it funny, Lefty, how you never know 
what ’s going to happen to you?” Will re- 
marked reflectively. “If anybody ’d told me 
six months ago that I ’d be going through these 
things, I wouldn’t have believed it.” 

“No, I suppose not! Still, it will be a good 
thing for you, Bill, most likely. You ’ll get ac- 
customed to being mixed up in thrilling adven- 
tures by the time you ’ve passed through a 
dozen more, which, at the present rate of prog- 
ress, will he about this time to-morrow night. 
Just think, Bill, it was only this morning, early, 
that you and I were pattering around in the 
dark after that fellow who got away in the 
boat.” 

“That’s so! It seems farther back than 
that, Lefty! It might have been a week ago, 
so much has happened since.” 

Thus talking together, they reached the high- 
way in due season. Then they turned toward 
Beaver Camp. Occasionally, they heard the 
237 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


vocal efforts of the hermit’s dog, and now Lefty 
noted with alarm that the sound was coming 
nearer. 

“The fellows must have reached camp all 
right, Bill,” he announced, as calmly as pos- 
sible, “because our kind-hearted neighbor 
seems to be returning from the chase, bring- 
ing his menagerie with him. If you care to 
see the procession go past, don’t let me hinder 
you, but as for myself — well, there ’s a brook 
just ahead, and I think I ’ll tarry under the 
bridge until the parade is out of sight. ’ ’ 

“That ought to be a good place to hide, 
Lefty! The dog can’t follow our trail in the 
water, so we ’ll be safe.” 

They reached the brook in plenty of time, and 
walked up the nearer bank a hundred yards or 
more, in order to carry the dog out of the way 
in case he felt inclined to follow their trail. 
Then, removing their shoes and stockings, they 
waded back through the brook until they were 
concealed under the bridge that carried the 
highway across the little stream. 

Here they waited until the dog passed their 
refuge, and the heavy footfalls of his master 
sounded upon the boards over their heads. 

238 


AN ADVENTUEE AFTER DARK 


Then they climbed out on the farther bank, and 
made their way back to camp, where a joyful 
welcome awaited them. 

The other boys had reached Beaver Camp 
safely, although it had been necessary for them 
to run most of the way. The dog had followed 
them, even into the “clearing” around the bun- 
galow, from which point he had been called off 
by his master. 

Shortly after the arrival of Lefty and Cousin 
Willie, Doctor Halsey returned from his call at 
Mrs. Spencer’s cottage, and a full history of 
the night’s adventure was given him. He was 
enough of a boy to relish the excitement of this 
recital, and yet, being mindful of his duty as 
camp director, he spoke seriously to the boys of 
the folly and danger of plunging into reckless 
adventure, as well as the lack of proper regard 
for him which they had shown in leaving camp 
on such a mission without his knowledge and 
consent. 

There was an interval of conscience-stricken 
silence when the doctor paused. Then Edgar 
remarked, “Well, anyhow, Bert has the box 
that he fell on, so there ’s one souvenir of the 
night’s work.” 


239 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“That ’s so!” cried Bert. “There ’s been so 
much excitement since that I ’most forgot about 
it. I had just dragged this box out of the hay 
when the blooming dog began to yawp, and we 
all heat it. I had the thing under my arm all 
the time, and never realized it until we hopped 
over the fence. It was too late then to do any- 
thing about it, so I brought it back to camp with 
me, and here it is.” 

So saying, he produced a box of heavy tin, 
wrapped in several layers of newspaper. The 
tin was covered with black japan, ornamented 
with gilt stripes, and the box looked just like 
some that the boys had seen in the windows 
of stationery stores, designed to hold cash, 
jewelry, and valuable papers. 

“No wonder the old fellow chased us!” Eliot 
exclaimed. c 1 Most likely he ’s a miser, and has 
a lot of money and all kinds of valuable things 
in that box. I ’ll bet he ’s gone off to get the 
constable, or whoever it is up here that does 
such business, and means to have us all locked 
up.” 

“I shouldn’t wonder,” Jack agreed soberly. 
“If we ’re found with that box in our hands, 
240 


AN ADVENTURE AFTER DARK 


it won’t do any good to claim that we did n’t go 
over there on purpose to steal it.” 

The doctor had another theory, but he was 
quite willing that the boys should suffer the 
tortures of remorse for a time, in order that the 
folly of rushing heedlessly into danger might 
be impressed more forcibly upon their minds, 
and that they might learn a wholesome respect 
for the property rights of their neighbors. 

“You see how seriously you are involved,” 
he remarked quietly. “Not only did you leave 
camp on a dangerous and needless mission at 
a time when I was necessarily absent and was 
trusting to your honor and good sense to keep 
you out of mischief, but you have trespassed 
knowingly upon the property of a neighbor. 
You have actually stolen something that may be 
assumed to belong to him, and have placed 
yourselves in a position where you could be ar- 
rested and severely punished. ’ ’ 

The boys looked frightened and ashamed. 
No one could frame an appropriate reply. 

“What would your friends in the city think 
if the news should reach them that you had been 
arrested for stealing?” the doctor went on re- 
15 241 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


lentlessly. ‘'‘You might convince them that it 
was merely a thoughtless prank, but I fancy 
that they would be distressed and displeased, 
nevertheless. ’ 9 

“We just went for the excitement of the 
thing ,’ 9 Bert urged, in a rather faltering de- 
fense. “We ’ll put the box back, and the old 
hermit can see that we have n’t taken anything. 
Anyhow, he didn’t see any of us, so how can 
he prove that we were there? He can’t prove 
that we took the box, either, so I don’t see how 
he can make much trouble for us.” 

“He knows that some one was in the ruins 
to-night,” the doctor replied. “He traced the 
trespassers with the aid of his dog, and found 
that they came from this camp. While he may 
not be able actually to prove anything more, you 
were very imprudent, and I hope you will never 
again do a thing which might bring disgrace 
upon Beaver Camp and spoil our vacation.” 

The boys were very penitent, and assured the 
doctor with much earnestness of their deep re- 
gret and contrition. He accepted their apolo- 
gies, but gave them little comfort, and they 
wandered off by twos and threes to seek for- 
getfulness in slumber. By this time, they were 
242 


AN ADVENTURE AFTER DARK 


thoroughly alarmed, and had visions of clank- 
ing chains, dreary dungeons, and all manner of 
unpleasant sequels to their nocturnal adven- 
ture. 

“And just think! to-morrow will be the glori- 
ous Fourth,” Lefty sighed unhappily. “We 
were going to have so much fun, hut now — well, 
we can’t tell what will become of us.” 

“We ’re certainly in one horrible mess,” 
Edgar replied hopelessly. “I feel awfully 
about it, but I ’m sorry for the doctor, most of 
all. We left him sitting there all alone by the 
fire and holding the box that ’s been the means 
of getting us tangled up in this snarl. He 
looked as mournful as anything, and I ’ll bet he 
feels worried.” 

At that moment, however, the doctor was 
smiling grimly at the glowing embers, as he re- 
called the alarm which the boys now felt. He 
reflected upon the probable value of this feel- 
ing as a moral tonic, and also he wondered how 
this box, so strangely committed to his keep- 
ing, might fit into a story which Mrs. Spencer 
had told him that evening. 


243 


CHAPTER XIII 


“the glorious fourth’ ’ 

T HE sleep of the Beaver Campers was rest- 
less and troubled that night, and they 
awoke on the morning of Independence Day 
feeling downcast and apprehensive. The box 
was not in sight, and the doctor did not refer 
to it, yet its influence was felt by all. The 
dawn was not saluted with the roar of explod- 
ing gunpowder. Somehow, none of the boys 
felt in the mood for festive joys. 

When breakfast had been eaten, and the boys 
were busy in a half-hearted fashion about the 
camp, Doctor Halsey announced his intention 
of going up to Mrs. Spencer’s cottage. The 
boys were surprised when he produced the box 
from a secure hiding-place and carefully de- 
posited it in the boat, but they asked no ques- 
tions. 

Without dropping any hint of his purpose in 
taking on board so strange a cargo, the doctor 
244 


“THE GLORIOUS FOURTH” 


grasped the oars, and started up the lake, leav- 
ing the boys plunged in helpless, defenseless 
solitude. 

“Well, what shall we do — stay here or quit 
the diggings?’’ Bert asked, as the boat dis- 
appeared. 

“Stay, of course,” Tom at once replied. 
“No matter what happens, let ’s face the 
music. ’ ’ 

“It won’t be very merry music, I ’m think- 
ing,” Lefty observed in a mournful tone. 
“Chopin’s Funeral March would be quite ap- 
propriate, I should say.” 

“Oh, well! we may have been foolish, but we 
haven’t done anything desperately wicked,” 
Tad remarked, with an attempt at cheerful- 
ness. “Let’s brace up! If anybody should 
drop into our merry midst just now, he ’d be 
apt to think that we ’d been guilty of some- 
thing dreadful.” 

“Some one ’s coming now!” Jack cried ex- 
citedly. “We ’re in for it! I can hear the 
sound of wheels on the camp road.” 

Tad made a comical gesture of resignation. 
“Tell them that I met my fate bravely,” he 
muttered. “I yield, noble Roman — ” 

245 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Oh! Why, it ’s only Neighbor Pettingill 
with the cots and stuff/ ’ Jack announced with 
very evident relief. 

“Humph! I had all my yielding for noth- 
mg,” Tad complained. “Next time, gentle- 
men, I positively will not surrender without a 
struggle. I shan’t go through that perform- 
ance again.” 

Mr. Pettingill, with the help of the boys, un- 
loaded the cots, the lumber, and the two trunks 
which had not previously been delivered to the 
Beaver Campers. Then he drove off to join 
in the extremely mild hilarity of the North 
Rutland celebration. 

“We may as well get busy on the benches,” 
Tad remarked. “It ’ll occupy our minds and 
keep us from moping around. Besides, it ’ll 
look better if the police force pounces on us to 
demand the box. They ’ll see that we ’re in- 
dustrious fellows, anyhow, even if we do put in 
a little night work now and then, by way of 
variety. ’ ’ 

Some of the boys attacked the burlap wrap- 
pings which protected the cots; while others 
sawed, and measured, and hammered as Eliot 
directed, in an effort to construct a few benches 
246 


“THE GLORIOUS FOURTH” 

that would stand the wear and tear of camp 
life. 

While they were thus busily employed, Doc- 
tor Halsey, minus the box, returned to camp. 

“The box has been restored to its owner,’ ’ 
he quietly announced. 

“What did the old fellow say?” Bert asked 
with eager interest. 

“What old fellow?” 

“Why, the old hermit out there in the ruins! 
Doesn’t the box belong to him?” 

“Oh, no! It belongs to our neighbor, Mrs. 
Spencer. ’ 9 

“Mrs, Spencer!” the boys echoed in be- 
wildered surprise. 

The doctor laughed at their very apparent 
astonishment. “It ’s a rather odd story,” he 
said, “but I ’ll tell it as simply as I can. 

“Mrs. Spencer has occupied the cottage 
above us for a number of summers. Mr. Ray- 
mond has lived here, and Mr. Samuelson (who, 
by the way, may be discussed freely now) is an 
all-the-year- ’round resident of a comfortable 
farm below us. 

“A year or two ago, Mr. Samuelson induced 
Mrs. Spencer to invest some money in a tract 
247 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


of land a few miles east of us. It includes a 
quarry and several acres of timber. He also 
bad a share in the venture, which has resulted 
quite favorably. About a month ago, a com- 
pany was formed to purchase this land and 
operate the quarry. Both Mr. Samuelson and 
Mrs. Spencer received an offer from this com- 
pany to purchase their interests at fair prices. 
They decided to accept the terms, and Mrs. 
Spencer brought up with her from the city all 
the deeds and other papers relating to the case. 
These were packed in the tin box which you dis- 
covered, and she gave it to Mr. Samuelson, who 
acted as her agent in the matter. 

“ About a week ago, this box disappeared 
from his house, and all efforts to locate it have 
been unsuccessful. The man whom you dis- 
covered out there in the wilderness has been 
employed as a farm hand by Mr. Samuelson, 
and it appears now that he must have stolen the 
box and was guarding it. He is a wild, ugly, 
surly fellow of whom little is known, but he 
worked well about the farm, and help is so hard 
to get that he was kept, in spite of his social 
shortcomings. 

“Why did he take the box! Well, it seems 
248 


“THE GLORIOUS FOURTH” 

that some man across the lake is very anxious 
to prevent the formation of the proposed de- 
velopment company. He wants to huy the land 
for his own use, believing that it will he very 
profitable for him to do so. He must have sus- 
pected that the company depended for its suc- 
cess upon its ability to arrange favorable terms 
with Mrs. Spencer and Mr. Samuelson, because 
— too late — he called upon them and tried to 
induce them to decline the offer made by the 
company. This they could not do, having al- 
ready signed certain agreements binding them- 
selves to deed the property to the new owners 
as soon as the conditions of sale were fulfilled. 
The man was greatly disappointed, and it seems 
probable that he has tried to prevent the sale 
from being effected by getting possession of 
the papers. He did not destroy them, or alter 
them in any way. Mrs. Spencer examined the 
contents of the box this morning and nothing 
has been disturbed. She supposes that he had 
some hope that the company would give up the 
idea of working the quarry when the men in it 
learned that the present owners of the property 
could not convey it to them. To he sure, the 
legal papers in the case could he duplicated, 
249 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


but this process would take some time, and the 
company was anxious to start immediately. 

“Of course, it was a mean bit of work, and 
the chances of success were very slight, be- 
cause, even with the papers missing, it is likely 
that some way would have been found to ar- 
range matters to the mutual satisfaction of the 
purchasers and sellers. There was just a 
chance, however, that negotiations would be 
broken off, and then this schemer counted on 
getting the property himself at a reduced price. 
Of course, we don’t know that this theory is 
correct. There are some points that seem a 
little unreasonable, and we have not the faint- 
est shadow of actual proof to implicate this 
man in the disappearance of the papers. 

“It may have been, you know, that your 
fancied hermit took the box, believing that it 
contained articles of value, and kept it in the 
hope that a reward would be offered for its re- 
turn. At any rate, I ’m inclined to think that 
the man across the lake knew something about 
it, because that explains the presence of the two 
prowlers who disturbed our sleep night before 
last. One came from across the lake, you re- 
member, and the other from the country back 
250 


The Beaver Campers celebrate the Glorious Fourth 






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“THE GLORIOUS FOURTH” 


of us. Perhaps they were meeting here to plan 
what should be done next. 

“Now you know as much about the matter as 
I do. The box has been returned to its owner 
with contents unharmed, and she is greatly re- 
lieved, so we have good cause for celebrating 
the glorious Fourth.” 

“Well, how about our stuff being dragged out 
into the woods, and the signs, and the cat that 
was left here in the crate, and the other 
tricks!” Tom asked. “The villain and the as- 
sistant villain weren’t responsible for those 
things. ’ 9 

The doctor shook his head. “No. Mr. 
Raymond always left a set of keys to his build- 
ings here with Mr. Samuelson, and I think Mrs. 
Spencer did, too. In their absence, he looked 
after the property, and had repairs made when- 
ever necessary. Mr. Samuelson arranged with 
Neighbor Pettingill to bring our baggage and 
freight over from the North Rutland station, 
and evidently he did so. I suppose some of our 
neighbors are trying to play a few tricks on us. 
The fact that those village boys assured us that 
we were living in a haunted camp would seem 
to suggest that explanation.” 

253 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


‘ 4 Why did n ’t Mrs. Spencer want ns to talk 
about Mr. Samuelson?” Tom wanted to know. 

“As soon as the box disappeared, be left 
home to trace it. Nothing was said about the 
matter, except to the parties most directly in- 
terested, and he did not want to have his ab- 
sence talked about in the neighborhood. That 
was the reason Mrs. Spencer spoke as she did. 
Her references to some hidden mystery con- 
cerned the box that had so strangely vanished, 
and had no personal connection with Mr. Sam- 
uelson, as we supposed.” 

“Has he come back from his scouting expe- 
dition?” Eliot asked. 

“Yes. He was at Mrs. Spencer’s cottage 
when I called, and is greatly relieved to know 
that the box has been discovered.” 

“But what has become of Fido and his — er 
— tutor?” Lefty inquired. 

“I don’t know. I rather think that Fido and 
his master will disappear from the neighbor- 
hood. You are not likely to be troubled again 
by either of them.” 

“Farewell, Fido!” Tad murmured. “Joy 
be your portion evermore.” 

“ Another thing!” the doctor went on. 

254 


“THE GLORIOUS FOURTH” 


“There will be a little celebration this evening 
at Mrs. Spencer’s cottage, and we are invited. 
On your behalf, I accepted with much pleasure. 
Is that all right?” 

“Sure thing!” cried Lefty with much en- 
thusiasm. “I am very anxious to see — er — 
Cjax again,” and the others voiced similar sen- 
timents. 

They discussed the mystery of the tin box 
with considerable animation, and the spirits of 
the boys rose rapidly. The reaction from in- 
tense gloom and nervous apprehension carried 
them into a condition of exhilaration and noisy 
enthusiasm. 

Tad lifted his cap from his curly locks. “A 
great weight has been taken off my mind,” he 
announced. “No more do my eyes see dismal 
visions of prison bars. No more do my ears 
hear the dull clanking of heavy chains. No 
more do — does my nose — er — what does my 
nose do?” 

“It reflects the beauteous sunset,” Tom told 
him. “If I were as green as you are, and had 
such a red nose, I ’d be afraid that people 
would mistake me for a poppy plant.” 

“Why, the very idea!” gasped Tad. “Hear 

255 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

the child talk! Never mind! It ’s only jeal- 
ousy that makes him hand out such uncompli- 
mentary remarks. If he had a pretty red nose 
like mine, it would give him something to sing 
through. ’ ’ 

“He might sing through a megaphone/ ’ Jack 
suggested playfully. 

“Or through an attack of measles/ ’ Lefty 
added. 

“Don’t talk about such things/’ Edgar cau- 
tioned them, “because you ’ll get the doctor 
excited, and he ’ll be dropping pills on the 
griddle. ’ ’ 

Then the cooks impressed them into service, 
and further remarks were confined to more 
practical topics. 

In the afternoon, they had a jolly frolic in 
the lake, and used every noise-making article 
that the camp could furnish in an effort prop- 
erly to celebrate the day. When all the gun- 
powder available had been sacrificed to salute 
the birthday of national independence, and the 
ardor of the boys had somewhat cooled, the 
Beaver Campers carefully inspected their sev- 
eral wardrobes in an effort to select their 
choicest garments so that they might appear 
256 


“THE GLORIOUS FOURTH” 


at their best when they visited Mrs. Spencer 
during the evening. 

“A collar feels extremely dressy after 
you ’ve been wearing a flannel shirt,” Lefty 
groaned. “Ah! Behold Bill in his lovely 
white ducks. I can see where he makes a hit, 
all right.” 

Cousin Willie laughed good-naturedly. Al- 
ready, he had caught the camp spirit, so con- 
tagious in this merry company, and it is doubt- 
ful if those who had known him in the city 
would have at once realized that this was in- 
deed the same William Langley Ainsworth, 
Junior. 

“I ’d lend you a pair, Lefty, only they ’d he 
a little short for you,” he replied. 

“Can you sit down when you wear those 
things, Bill?” Charlie asked. 

It was the first time that any one but Lefty 
had addressed him by this familiar name, and 
his satisfaction increased tremendously as he 
realized that he was “making good.” 

“Sure! Why not?” he responded. 

“I should think you *d be afraid of getting 
them dirty.” 

“Oh, they can be washed, you know.” 

257 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Why, yes! That’s the reason they call 
’em ducks,” Tad explained. “It ’s because 
they take to water so easily. Who ’s got a 
button-hook!” 

“Going to take your mandolin along, Tad!” 
Cousin Willie asked. 

“I don’t know. I ’m so shy that it might 
make me nervous to play before so many peo- 
ple.” 

The others hooted derisively. Evidently 
they did not share Tad’s modest fears. 

“Oh, yes! Take it along, Tad!” Bert urged, 
and he good-naturedly agreed. 

The Beaver Campers found Mrs. Spencer 
waiting to receive them, and very soon they felt 
real well acquainted not only with their host- 
ess but also with her two daughters and two 
nieces who were spending their summer holi- 
days at the Spencer cottage. 

Of course, the boys had to begin at the begin- 
ning, and relate the full history of the adven- 
ture which had resulted so happily, and they 
had an audience that gave flattering attention 
to the recital. 

After this, there were some fireworks to be 
displayed, and the campers gallantly bore the 
258 


“THE GLORIOUS FOURTH” 


responsibility of “punk and powder and peril- 
ous possibilities,” as Tad expressed it. 

Tad and his mandolin helped to pass a very 
delightful hour when the last rocket had fallen 
into the lake, and the glow of the brilliant 
lights had faded. He played a few instrumen- 
tal pieces, then changed to songs which the 
others knew, and soon the clear, young voices 
were raised in song, much to the delight of Mrs. 
Spencer. 

No celebration that numbers boys among the 
guests is quite complete without refreshments. 
Mrs. Spencer knew enough of boy life to be 
well aware of this fact, so, shortly before ten, 
they were invited into the dining-room. This 
spot now possessed a sort of historic interest 
for the Beaver Campers, for here it was that 
their first meal in northern latitudes had been 
eaten. This time, it was not soup and other 
“emergency rations” which the boys found 
awaiting them, but plenty of ice cream and 
home-made chocolate cake cut into generous 
slices. To this festal fare, the guests gave 
prompt and pleasurable attention. 

A little more music followed, then the Beaver 
Campers rather reluctantly spoke their words 
16 259 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


of parting, and started back toward camp. 

“Well, it ’s been really a glorious Fourth !” 
Tom exclaimed. “Things this morning were 
so blue that it didn’t seem as if they ever 
would be different, but all at once the clouds 
rolled away, and we Ve had a fine time ever 
since . 9 9 

“Yes,” Walter agreed. “That just shows 
that you never can tell how a day is going to 
turn out by the way it starts . 9 9 

With which philosophical remark many will 
agree. 


260 


CHAPTER XIV 


COUSIN WILLIE SEES A GHOST 

A FTER the excitement which had attended 
the first few days at Beaver Camp, the 
boys were not sorry to have a period of calm, 
with no sensational developments to interfere 
with the quiet enjoyment of camp life. 

On Sunday evening, they went up to Mrs. 
Spencer’s and had an informal praise service 
about the piano, Tad and his mandolin furnish- 
ing valuable aid. 

Monday found them at work on the athletic 
field. This plot never would be ideal, but each 
day’s efforts made conditions a little more 
favorable, and Lefty hoped to commence seri- 
ous baseball practice by the end of the week. 

Tuesday brought rain — a soaking north-east 
downpour — and the boys busied themselves 
about the camp buildings, wrote letters, and 
otherwise occupied the hours that seemed so 
261 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


much longer than those that marked the pass- 
ing of clear days. 

Wednesday was clear and cool, so the boys at- 
tacked the athletic field again, and talked hope- 
fully of arranging a series of games with the 
village boys before many more days had passed. 

Wednesday evening brought the first really 
startling experience of the week. It was Cou- 
sin Willie’s turn to keep the camp supplied 
with water. When the others had gathered 
about the camp-fire, he set off along the famil- 
iar path to the spring to get a pailful of drink- 
ing water for their refreshment. 

His courage was stronger than it had been 
in days past, and he had grown somewhat ac- 
customed to prowling around in the dark, so 
he took the lantern and pail and started on his 
mission without any conscious shrinking from 
the unknown perils of the night. 

Once within the shadow of the woods, how- 
ever, he had to acknowledge a feeling of sud- 
den fright. Something in front of him and a 
little to the right claimed his fascinated atten- 
tion. It was tall — at least two feet taller than 
a man — and white. The formless whiteness 
seemed to slip in and out among the trees in a 
262 


COUSIN WILLIE SEES A GHOST 


manner truly spectral, and the boy was sure 
that the figure drew nearer to him. 

He rallied his rapidly waning courage, and 
tried to persuade himself that it was foolish 
to believe in the existence of ghosts. He even 
attempted to convince himself that the vision 
was just a blanket which one of the campers 
had hung up in a tree and forgotten to remove. 
Still his knees trembled, and his teeth chat- 
tered uncomfortably. The report that the 
camp was haunted came freshly to his mind, 
and this increased his distress. Had the ghost 
of Beaver Camp arrived for one of its reported 
visits ? 

He turned to retrace his steps, but just then 
a new and very reasonable suggestion occurred 
to him. Perhaps one of the campers, knowing 
that he must pass along that path after dark, 
had draped a ghostlike figure and placed it 
there to test his courage. 

Well, he would just convince his companions 
that he had as much grit as any of them. The 
idea of trying to frighten him with such a trick ! 
Why, he was n’t a baby any more, to be terri- 
fied by specters of the night ! He ’d show 
them! Oh, yes — 


263 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


But still it required heroic effort to make 
him turn again toward the spring, pick up his 
pail, and walk resolutely forward. His will 
power had been galvanized into action, how- 
ever, during the recent past, and he forced him- 
self to continue onward until he had reached 
the goal. 

He filled the pail with the cool, sparkling 
water, and started back toward the camp-fire, 
a little surprised at his “nerve” but thankful, 
nevertheless, that every step was carrying him 
nearer the other campers. Hurrying as fast 
as he could with his burden, he reached the 
clearing beyond the woods, and approached the 
boys grouped about the big fire. 

“There ’s a ghost back in the woods,” he 
remarked casually, as if such visitors were 
quite usual. 

“A what?” 

“A ghost. We heard that the camp was 
haunted, you know. One of the ghosts has 
come back to see who *s here.” 

“It ’s probably a stray cow,” Eliot sug- 
gested. 

“No, it is n’t, Eliot. Really! It was about 
264 


COUSIN WILLIE SEES A GHOST 


eight feel tall, and white, and it had long arms, 
sort of stretched out.” 

“Wow! I ’m glad I didn’t meet it, kid! 
Where was it!” 

“Not far from the spring — off in the woods.” 

In spite of his effort to appear unconcerned, 
the boys could not help observing that Cousin 
Willie had been frightened. They wondered 
what apparition had confronted him in the 
dark, silent woods. 

“Shall we go forth and dare him to mortal 
combat!” Tad asked eagerly. 

“Maybe it isn’t a ‘him,’ Tad,” his brother 
suggested, “and ghosts aren’t supposed to be 
mortal, you know. That makes it extremely 
hard to carry on any kind of combat with one 
of them.” 

1 ‘ Of course, I ’m eager to draw my sword in 
defense of Beaver Camp,” Lefty assured them, 
“but — er — hadn’t we better wait until the 
ghost comes out on the beach! There ’s so 
much more space here, and the light is better, 
not to speak of — ” 

“Oh, look!” gasped Charlie. “There comes 
the ghost!” 


265 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Two of them!” Jack added excitedly. 
“What spooky things! They must be fully 
eight feet tall, just as Bill said.” 

There could be no doubt about it! The 
ghosts of Beaver Camp really had arrived. 
Of course, science and sense asserted that such 
things did not and could not exist. Yet, one 
could not doubt what his eyes actually beheld, 
philosophical statements to the contrary not- 
withstanding. 

Nor were the boys asleep, and merely imagin- 
ing the presence of the specters as part of an 
unpleasant dream. On the contrary, they were 
unusually wide-awake just now. Too greatly 
bewildered and startled to say much, all had 
risen; and now they stood watching with a 
sort of hypnotic fascination the slow, impress- 
ive progress of the specters as they moved 
along the beach toward the fire. 

Each was fully eight feet tall. The heads 
were invisible, except for the eyes which glowed 
with a kind of phosphorescent brilliance. The 
long arms of the ghosts were extended, and 
occasionally these moved, as if beckoning to 
the boys. Loose white draperies fluttered 
about the figures, and, taking them altogether, 
266 


COUSIN WILLIE SEES A GHOST 


they were not reassuring objects to discover in 
a dark spot. 

“ There are only two of ’em!” Lefty mut- 
tered after a minute or two. “Let ’s rush ’em ! 
Come on! When I count three, all yell like 
pirates, and run right at ’em. One — two — 
three ! ’ ’ 

A series of war-whoops which would have 
done credit to a tribe of Comanche Indians 
smote the stillness of the night. Then the boys 
rushed forward, Doctor Halsey with them. 

The ghosts must have felt alarmed for they 
halted, swayed unsteadily for a few seconds, 
then pitched forward, falling flat upon the 
ground. Behind each ghost stood a mortal — 
perhaps a guide and personal conductor when- 
ever the specter desired to visit the terrestrial 
regions. 

This was a surprise to the hoys, and their 
wild rush came to an abrupt stop. Then one of 
the mortals addressed the doctor. 

“Good evening, Doctor. Pleasant evening 
after the storm, is n’t it?” 

“We thought it would be neighborly to call,” 
the other added, “and we brought the family 
with us.” 


267 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


1 1 Well, of all things !” gasped the astonished 
camp director. ‘ ‘Where did yon two fellows 
drop from?” 

“Why, we are boarding with one of your 
neighbors, Samuelson by name, and we thought 
our call might be more impressive if we brought 
our friends along.” 

“It surely was impressive, not to say spec- 
tacular,” laughed the doctor. 

Then he explained to the boys that the two 
young men were classmates of his in the med- 
ical school. He had known of their intention 
to spend the vacation somewhere along the 
shores of Lake Champlain, but had not realized 
how near to Beaver Camp they would be. 

Tad walked over to Lefty, and said in a low 
tone, “These are the fellows who eyed us so 
sharply when we were on our shopping trip in 
North Rutland. Remember?” 

And Lefty nodded a vigorous assent. 

The Beaver Campers were duly introduced 
to the two young men, Franklin Stover and 
Paul Rutledge by name, and the whole party 
went back to the camp-fire to improve their 
acquaintance. 

The “ghosts” proved to be nothing more 

268 



They were not reassuring objects to discover in a dark spot 

























COUSIN WILLIE SEES A GHOST 


than several yards of sheeting draped on poles, 
with heads rudely formed and features marked 
on the cloth. The poles were so arranged that 
the u arms’ > could be moved by one who stood 
behind, thus imparting the appearance of life 
to the figures. 

“We called here more than a week ago,” 
Stover announced, “but you hadn’t arrived — ” 

“And so you made yourselves at home and 
carried our things out into the woods,” the doc- 
tor interrupted. 

“Well, we thought it would be so much 
healthier and more comfortable for them out- 
of-doors,” Stover explained with an air of 
guileless innocence. “It seemed very warm 
and stuffy in your bungalow, and you have not 
studied medicine all these years without learn- 
ing the importance of fresh air. We really 
took a great deal of trouble for your sakes. It 
may not seem polite to complain, but some of 
those things were a trifle weighty.” 

“We noticed it when we put them back,” the 
doctor observed grimly. “How did you enter 
our sylvan bower!” 

“Oh, your kind and obliging neighbor, with 
refreshingly rural simplicity, had left the keys 
271 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


under a piece of carpet laid before your hos- 
pitable entrance! Also be bad published bis 
action in such manner that all visitors might 
behold and sing his praises.’ ’ 

“I suppose you put up the sign of welcome 
down by the landing.” 

“Yes. Rather an artistic effort, we thought. 
It harmonized well with the scenery. Didn’t 
you think so?” 

“Oh, certainly! Anything artistic appeals 
strongly to us. I suppose we must thank you 
for our feline visitor, too.” 

“Oh, do not thank us,” Stover begged mod- 
estly. “We did not do it for the sake of being 
praised. The wandering minstrel appeared 
without explanation or excuse upon the porch 
of our humble manse, and we shared our bless- 
ings with you. ’ ’ 

“For which we thank you!” Doctor Halsey 
responded with a laugh. 

Then he, with the assistance of the boys, told 
the two visitors of the numerous and varied ex- 
periences which had kept their camp life from 
becoming dull and monotonous. 

“Well, I should say that your first week had 
been a trifle strenuous,” Rutledge observed. 
272 


COUSIN WILLIE SEES A GHOST 


“ Don’t you feel like taking the rest cure by this 
time ? ’ ’ 

“It ’s so restful to get out into the country,’ ’ 
Stover commented. “The little birds sing 
blithely in the trees, the cows placidly Fletch- 
erize underneath; the bees go humming and 
buzzing around, the fleecy clouds drift slowly 
across the sky, hens cackle, roosters crow, and 
the soft summer zephyrs gently rustle the 
leaves.” 

“You sound like Wordsworth,” Rutledge 
remarked. “You can imagine how I suffer 
when Stover gets one of his poetical fits on. 
He can babble like that all night. ’ ’ 

“You remind me that I left the babbling 
brooks out of my description of rural life,” 
Stover replied quickly. “The babbling brooks 
flow musically over the stones, the wild flowers 
spring up along the highways, oh, there ’s 
nothing like life in the country!” 

“That ’s right!” Doctor Halsey agreed 
cheerfully. “The little birds sing so blithely 
in the trees that they wake you up at four 
o’clock, and you can’t get another wink of sleep. 
The bees go humming and buzzing around your 
head until you are driven into frenzy. Hens 
273 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


cackle and roosters crow whenever you want 
to take a nap. The fleecy clouds, drifting 
across the sky, suddenly roll around and work 
up into a thunder-shower when you are five 
miles from shelter. The soft summer zephyrs 
hit you in the back of the neck and give you a 
cold that hangs on all winter. The highways 
are so dusty that you could n ’t see a wild flower 
if it did grow. Generally there ’s nothing to 
be seen but burdocks and ragweed. All kinds 
of creeping, crawling, flying things assault you, 
waking or sleeping. Oh, yes! There ’s noth- 
ing like life in the country, providing a person 
is strong enough to stand it.” 

“Pessimist!” Stover howled. “Barbarian! 
You haven’t an ounce of poetic imagination. 
Alas, that you should have fallen with such an 
awful thud.” 

The boys were vastly amused at the contrast 
thus presented, and a hilarious discussion fol- 
lowed. 

After a time, the two visitors declared that 
they must leave, because late hours were not 
considered fashionable at their summer resort. 
The Beaver Campers walked with them for a 
part of the homeward way, then returned to 
274 


COUSIN WILLIE SEES A GHOST 


seek the comfort of Tom’s cots, which so far 
had justified his faith in them. 

They decided that these two young men 
would prove lively and most agreeable neigh- 
bors, whose presence and participation would 
add much to certain plans for the future which 
already were being discussed. 


275 


CHAPTER XV 


BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 

B Y the end of the week, Beaver Camp had an 
athletic field. True, it left much to he 
desired, hut it provided a baseball diamond, 
marked out with infinite pains according to 
official measurements, so the boys felt satisfied 
with their efforts. 

Lefty, being a veteran player, was by general 
consent invited to act as captain of the camp 
team, and he undertook the difficult and delicate 
work of getting out of each player the best work 
of which he was capable. 

Some of the boys had played on teams at 
home, others had but little experience and less 
skill. (Cousin Willie was in the latter class.) 
All were willing to work hard, however, and 
this was the most encouraging development of 
the first day’s practice. 

Franklin Stover and his friend Rutledge 
276 


BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 


walked over to the field, and helped Captain 
Lefty with many suggestions and friendly 
criticisms. Doctor Halsey, too, dropped a val- 
uable hint now and then, although he declared 
that baseball was not his specialty, but if only 
they would change their minds and decide to 
play football, he might help them in a way 
worth talking about. 

Whenever any of the campers visited North 
Rutland, he found the natives eager to cross 
bats with them, so it was finally arranged that 
a series of three games should be played ; one 
at North Rutland, one at Beaver Camp, and the 
deciding game, if one was necessary, at North 
Rutland. 

Stover consented to umpire the contests, and 
Rutledge agreed to act as official scorekeeper. 
The preliminaries being settled, practice took 
on an added degree of earnestness, and Cap- 
tain Lefty’s hopes grew stronger with each 
passing day. 

One bright, warm Monday afternoon, the 
Beaver Campers, equipped with all the baseball 
supplies that their combined resources could 
furnish, journeyed over to the village to meet 
their opponents in the first game of the series. 
V 277 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Before play commenced, Umpire Stover made 
a speech to the members of the competing teams 
and the small group of spectators, promising to 
award a stick of peppermint candy to each 
member of the team that should win the series. 
This excited the merriment of the boys, and 
seemed to inspire each player with an ardent 
desire to win the delectable prize. 

Beaver Camp went to bat, and the North Rut- 
land players took their places. The natives 
were strong, sunbronzed fellows, who appeared 
to be abundantly able to give a good account of 
themselves in any sort of athletic contest. 

4 4 Play ball ! ’ ’ cried the umpire. 

The North Rutland pitcher wound himself up 
like an alarm-clock, and sent over a ball that 
cut the plate squarely in two. Strike one. 

“Some speed !” Tad muttered from the 
bench. “I wonder if he can last.” 

“Sure thing!” Edgar replied. “He looks 
stronger than an elephant. ’ ’ 

In the meantime, Charlie had struck out, and 
Lefty faced the rival pitcher. Though he 
smiled confidently, he was feeling decidedly un- 
certain as to results. After two strikes had 
been called, Lefty found the ball for a high in- 
278 


BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 


field fly that was caught easily, and he joined 
his companions on the bench. 

“Good start !” he observed with a cheerful 
grin. 4 4 1 can see just about six runs coming to 
us this inning.” 

“That ’s more than any one else sees,” Jack 
responded, as he picked up his glove. Eliot 
had been retired at first on a grounder to 
short. 

Lefty walked over to the pitcher’s box, and 
the first batter for North Rutland selected his 
favorite bat and faced him with an air of 
jaunty confidence. 

Lefty twisted himself into kinks, then sud- 
denly straightened out and shot the ball over. 
Almost immediately, there sounded a sharp 
crack, and the ball sailed out, out, out — some 
distance beyond the most remote outfielder. 
Edgar reached it just after it fell, and relayed 
it back, holding the runner at third. Here he 
took a cautious lead, while Lefty watched him 
closely, trying meanwhile to recover from the 
shock of the opening number on the program. 

The second man fouled twice in his anxiety 
to bring in a run, ending his performance by 
striking out. Lefty felt better. 

279 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


The North Rutland captain had been talking 
in a low tone to the next batter, and Lefty felt 
that he would give much to know just what deep 
plot they had arranged. He tried a wide ball, 
but the man was not tempted. A strike was 
called next. Then the batter met the ball 
fairly, and it went speeding into deep right 
field. 

Jack got under it, catching it as it fell, but 
threw wide to Tad who had run out to relay it 
home, and the man on third scored. 

The next man hit a clean single, but was put 
out trying to steal second, and the inning ended 
with the score one to nothing, in favor of North 
Rutland. 

The second inning added another run to their 
score, while Beaver Camp was awarded a sec- 
ond goose egg. 

Lefty improved in the third, and the North 
Rutland men were unable to hit him safely. 
Their pitcher still puzzled the campers, how- 
ever, and none of them had much exercise in 
base-running. 

In the fourth, fifth, and sixth, the struggle 
was very close, with few errors, excellent pitch- 
ing, and no runs for either team. 

280 


BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 


In their half of the seventh, it looked as if 
Beaver Camp would tie the score. Walter 
reached first on a well-placed drive, and stole 
second. Jack knocked out a long grounder, 
just between third and short, but it was fielded 
neatly, and Tom, on the coaching lines, held 
Walter at third. Then a wide ball passed the 
catcher, and Walter came home. 

This ended the scoring, unfortunately, for 
Charlie’s hunt put him out at first, Lefty 
knocked a high foul that was caught, and Eliot 
struck out. 

North Rutland scored again in its half of the 
seventh, but in the last two innings, the ball did 
not get outside the diamond, nor a runner be- 
yond second. 

The North Rutland hoys cheered their op- 
ponents with hearty good-will, and the campers 
responded with perhaps a little less noise, as 
befitted a cheer that marked no victory, but 
merely a complimentary expression of true 
sportsmanlike spirit. 

“We had to let them take the first game, just 
to encourage ’em,” Lefty observed, as they 
walked back toward camp. “It wouldn’t have 
been polite to wallop ’em the first time. Wait 
281 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


until they strike our polished diamond. Then 
you ’ll see the sparks fly.” 

“The two teams are rather evenly matched, 
I should say,” Stover remarked. “Those fel- 
lows have played together longer than you 
have, and they hit harder. You ’d better have 
a lot of batting practice before the second 
game. ’ 9 

“Yes, I don’t know when we ’ll have another 
chance to win a peppermint stick apiece,” Tad 
responded. “ I ’d like to get one of those mini- 
ature barber’s poles between my teeth.” 

“Bad for your teeth,” Stover warned him. 
“Better let me eat it for you.” 

“I ’ll share with you if we win, ’ ’ Tad prom- 
ised eagerly. 

“Here, quit bribing the umpire!” Rutledge 
remonstrated, and then there was a general 
laugh and a chorus of merry comments. 

The next few days were improved by the 
campers in developing the batting and fielding 
skill of the team, while Lefty practised pitching 
at every favorable opportunity, Bert acting as 
catcher. 

When the North Rutland boys reached the 
camp diamond, Lefty’s team felt able to handle 
282 


BEAVER, CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 


them, though fully conscious of the strength 
and skill of their opponents and having suffi- 
cient respect for these qualities to prevent over- 
confidence. 

The Beaver Campers found it easier to hit 
the North Rutland pitcher during the second 
game. Somehow, his delivery was not so very 
puzzling, after one became familiar with it, and 
by the end of the sixth inning, the campers had 
three runs to their credit. 

Lefty was steadier than he had b.een in the 
first game. During the first six innings, he 
permitted only two men to walk, and struck out 
eight. Long drives were not as frequent as 
they had been before, and the two that went far 
beyond the diamond were fielded perfectly and 
came at times when the bases were deserted. 
A hit, a passed ball, a stolen base, and a well- 
placed sacrifice netted a run for North Rutland 
in the second, and this was their only tally thus 
far. 

“If we can hold ’em down now for three 
more licks, we ’re all right,” Lefty said to 
Tom, as they walked out on the diamond to be- 
gin the seventh. “Our fellows certainly are 
giving me fine support.” 

283 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Yes, and they ’re hitting better, too,” Tom 
replied. “I wish we could get another run or 
two. Our lead isn’t big enough to make me 
feel safe.” 

The weak end of the batting list came up now, 
and Lefty struck out the first two men, while 
the third put up a little fly that Tom caught 
without moving more than six steps. 

In the second half, Bert got a single, and 
Tom attempted a sacrifice which third fumbled 
clumsily in picking up. Tom, by a narrow 
margin, was safe on first, with Bert on second, 
and none out. 

The pitcher eyed them sharply, as they took 
cautious leads, but Charlie at bat and Eliot “on 
deck” were weak in stick work, and he decided 
to get rid of them before doing anything else. 

As he swung around to deliver the ball, Bert 
and Tom both started down the base line, run- 
ning as if the game depended on it. Charlie 
swung viciously at the ball, and the best that 
the catcher could do was to smother it on the 
ground. He picked it up with all speed and 
threw it to third, but Bert already was sliding, 
and reached the base an instant before the ball 
landed in the baseman’s glove. 

284 


BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 

Charlie struck out, but Eliot surprised him- 
self and everybody else by sending the ball tear- 
ing along the ground just beyond the reach of 
first, who sprang to the right and stooped 
quickly to stop it. 

Tom was almost to third by the time the ball 
struck the ground, and he quickly followed Bert 
across the plate. 

A snappy double play ended the scoring, but 
five to one was not a bad lead, and hope reigned 
among the champions of Beaver Camp. 

North Rutland scored again in the eighth, 
and had two men on bases in the ninth, when 
the last player went out on strikes. Beaver 
Camp added nothing to its tally, so the final 
score was five to two, in favor of the campers. 
Perhaps this explains why the cheers of the 
camp team were so much louder and more en- 
thusiastic than they had been after the previous 
game. 

“I feel more cheerful about my prospects of 
getting that peppermint stick,’ ’ Tad remarked 
complacently, “but there are one or two weak 
spots in our team that we ’ll have to brace up 
before the final game,” and his team-mates 
agreed with him. 


285 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Hard work and plenty of enthusiasm marked 
the interval before the final game, and Beaver 
Camp fared forth to North Rutland on the day 
appointed, prepared alike to battle for victory 
and to resist defeat, if such an outcome threat- 
ened. 

Lefty was in his best form, and the campers 
gave him splendid support. Likewise, the 
North Rutland pitcher seemed almost invinci- 
ble, and flawless fielding kept the bases clear. 
At the end of the seventh, not a run had been 
scored by either team. 

Edgar opened the eighth with one of the best 
hits of the game — a long, hard drive, over 
center’s head. This brought him to second. 

Jack followed with a hot grounder that 
slipped between second’s legs as he ducked to 
stop it, and Edgar went on to third. 

Just as Tad stepped into the batter’s box, 
the second baseman cried out in alarm, and 
pointed across the diamond. 

The games at North Rutland were played on 
a level field just outside the village. Less than 
a hundred yards distant, behind third base, 
was a large red barn that turned its back dis- 
dainfully upon those who found time to play 
286 


BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 


baseball. Other buildings were grouped about 
it, but the barn itself was nearest the diamond. 
Now, as the boys looked in the direction indi- 
cated, they were startled to see a thin column 
of smoke coming out of a rear window. 

The second baseman already was running to- 
ward the barn, and the others quickly followed. 
Edgar and Jack hesitated until Stover cried 
out, “Come on, fellows! Game called on ac- 
count of fire !” Then they rushed to the rescue 
of the property. 

The front doors of the barn were wide open, 
and the soft south breeze blowing through 
forced the smoke out of the rear windows. One 
side of the barn was almost completely filled 
with a great pile of hay, the top of which 
reached nearly to the roof timbers. The other 
side was nearly empty, but a small pile of old 
hay, left from the previous summer, was 
stacked on the floor. This was smoking and 
smoldering in a manner truly alarming. The 
campers feared that flames might leap up at 
any moment and set fire to the great pile of 
new, dry hay. In this case, it was hardly prob- 
able that the building could be saved. 

1 1 Smother the fire ! ’ ’ one of the natives cried. 

287 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


c ‘Don’t spread the hay out and let the air get 
at it, or the whole place will be afire ! 9 9 

The boys crowded about, and began to heat 
the hay with their baseball bats and anything 
else near at hand that could be impressed into 
service, while two of the natives ran across to 
the stable for blankets. 

Fortunately, a trough filled with water stood 
in the barnyard, and it required but a few mo- 
ments to find two large blankets, saturate them 
with water, and return to the fire. These wet 
blankets were thrown upon the pile of smoking 
hay, and, thus protected, the boys moved it out 
into the barnyard, using pitchforks and rakes 
which stood in a corner of the barn. 

Once outside the building, they could breathe 
more freely, for all danger now was past. 
They were careful to beat out the flames when- 
ever a burning wisp fell from the pile; and 
some of the boys remained on guard within the 
barn to watch for signs of fire breaking out 
elsewhere, while the others quickly scattered 
the hay around the yard, where the fire soon 
burned itself out. 

In the midst of the excitement, the owner of 
the premises drove up with another load of hay. 

288 


tjxs 1 n 







“Come on fellows! Game called on account of fire!” 













BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 


He was almost overcome with, a mixture of 
emotions when he found the volunteer fire- 
fighters at work and learned of the possible loss 
which he so narrowly had escaped. 

Without delay, he rushed inside the barn to 
assure himself of its safety, but, except for the 
smell of smoke and the charred floor timbers, 
there was no evidence of the danger which had 
menaced the building. 

After he had recovered from the first effects 
of the shock, the farmer explained to them that 
the old hay had been taken out of the mow that 
morning, and stacked in the rear of the barn, 
in order that the new crop might be stored. In 
some way which he could not explain, a fire 
must have started inside the pile. Denied 
much air, it had smoked and smoldered, gradu- 
ally eating its way upward and outward. The 
smoke found vent through the open window be- 
hind the pile. Probably the. bam would have 
been in flames within a short time, if the dis- 
covery of the danger had been postponed for 
many minutes. 

Of course, the farmer was profoundly grate- 
ful to the boys who had rendered such prompt 
and effective aid, and assured them that he al- 
291 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


ways would be thankful that the ball field was 
so near his farm. 

The boys went back to the interrupted game, 
after a time, when it was evident that nothing 
remained for them to do at the scene of danger 
overcome. By mutual consent, Edgar and 
Jack resumed their places on third and first 
bases, respectively, Tad went to bat, and the 
first half of the eighth inning was continued, 
with none out. 

The pitcher had not recovered entirely from 
the effects of the excitement, so he gave Tad his 
base on balls, and then each base had a tenant. 

Bert’s long fly was caught, but Edgar dashed 
home, sliding to the plate in a cloud of dust just 
before the ball landed in the catcher’s mitt. 

“Safe!” cried the umpire, who had run in to 
see the play at close range, and the hosts of 
Beaver Camp raised an enthusiastic cheer. 

Jack went on to third during the excitement, 
and seemed likely to stay there, for Lefty’s 
attempted sacrifice was snapped up so quickly 
that J ack was driven back to third. Lefty was 
out at first, making the second out for the 
campers. 

Things brightened when Tom brought Jack 
292 


BEAVER CAMP VS. NORTH RUTLAND 


home with a well-placed single, but here the 
scoring ended, for the next man struck out. 

Lefty allowed but two hits when North Rut- 
land went to bat, and neither produced a run, 
so the ninth inning opened with a score of two 
to nothing in favor of Beaver Camp. 

The final round proved rather tame. The 
boys were tired, hot, and excited, not only as a 
result of the game, hut partly on account of the 
unexpected interruption. The Beaver Camp- 
ers failed to hit the hall safely, and were forced 
to depend upon their lead of two runs when 
their opponents advanced to do battle for the 
last time. 

It soon became evident that they had nothing 
to fear. One of the North Rutland boys struck 
out, another hit to second, and the third went 
out on a short grounder. 

After a complimentary exchange of cheers, 
the two teams separated, the vanquished to re- 
turn home with sensational news of the fire, and 
the victors, led by Umpire Stover, to descend 
upon the general store in the village, where was 
to be purchased a prize to reward each player 
for the well-earned victory — a fat peppermint 
stick, adorned with a bright red spiral band. 

293 


CHAPTER XVI 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 

T HAT farmer ought to be thankful we 
played to-day,’ ’ Tad remarked, looking 
over toward the red barn. “If no one had 
been on the field, his barn would be just a heap 
of ashes now.” 

“And nearly an entire crop of hay, too,” 
Eliot added. “I ’m glad we could save it. 
The loss would he as had for him as a store 
with a stock of goods for a man in that kind of 
business.” 

The Beaver Campers were returning after 
the game, each sucking a long, fat peppermint 
stick. 

“I wonder what set it on fire,” Walter said 
thoughtfully. 

“Spontaneous combustion, most likely,” 
Lefty explained glibly. 

“Ah, indeed! How did it spontaneously 
294 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


combust, Professor Lefty ?” Tad asked in a 
tone of mock veneration. 

“Well, children, you see the hay had been 
stored in a cool, dark corner, and when it was 
moved, naturally the motion made it warm. 
The hay that was thrown down first had all the 
rest piled on top of it, and you can imagine how 
hot that made it. By and by, it grew so hot 
that it commenced to blaze, but the hay near it 
was all in a perspiration, and this moisture kept 
the flames from spreading.” 

‘ 1 Fine, ’ ’ Tad murmured. ‘ ‘ Science is a won- 
derful thing!” 

“Did you notice those two lanterns standing 
on a shelf just above the pile of old hay?” 
Stover inquired. ‘ ‘ There was a covered match- 
box on the shelf with them, and I saw a mouse 
scampering away toward his hole in the corner, 
when we were at work inside. A combination 
of mice and matches is rather dangerous in a 
barn, it seems to me.” 

“Mr. Farmer will have to be more careful 
in the future, I ’m thinking,” Jack declared. 
“It doesn’t do to take chances with such 
things. ’ ’ 

Then they discussed the game just ended, 
is 295 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


happy in the remembrance that victory had 
perched upon their banners, and feeling satis- 
fied that they had fairly earned the prizes 
which were giving them so much present de- 
light. 

The next morning, Tad visited North Rut- 
land, and came hack in a state of wild excite- 
ment. 

‘ 4 Great doings!” he announced. “The cir- 
cus is coming to town.” 

“Hurray!” Jack cried. “We ’ll have to go, 
so as to take Cousin Willie. He ’ll be anxious 
to see the circus, most likely, and of course it 
would never do to let the dear child go alone. 
The rest of us simply will have to sacrifice our- 
selves for his sake, whether we want to or not.” 

“When is it coming, Tad, and where?” Tom 
inquired. 

“It will be over at Westport a week from 
Friday. ’ ’ 

4 ‘ That is well ! We also will be over at West- 
port a week from Friday. ’ ’ 

1 ‘ That ’ll make two circuses in town the same 
day,” Lefty chuckled, but he was suppressed. 

“ I ’ve never been to a circus in the country, ’ ’ 
Edgar remarked. “It must be great!” 

296 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


4 4 If it ’s half as wonderful as the posters 
make out, it ’s worth going miles to see. They 
have trained elephants, tight-rope walkers, 
chariot races like the one in Ben Hur, trapeze 
performers who stand on their heads and wave 
a flag in mid-air — ” 

“Why don’t they stand on their feet?” Lefty 
wanted to know. “I should think it would he 
easier.” 

“You can ask them when you get a chance. 
Then there ’s a great parade before the show. 
It ’s about ten miles long I should judge from 
the pictures. Elephants, camels, wild animals 
in cages, all kinds of chariot and band wagons, 
Columbia and Uncle Sam on a float, brave men 
and be-au-tiful ladies mounted on prancing 
steeds, dressed in bright red coats — ” 

“What ’s that? Prancing steeds dressed in 
bright red coats! How odd they must look!” 

“Yes, and silk hats,” Tad went on, unmind- 
ful of the interruption. “Clowns on donkeys, 
clowns in pony carts, clowns in disguise, and 
clowns in the parade. Oh, it ’s going to be a 
wonderful show!” 

“Well, that ’s something pleasant to look 
forward to,” Jack declared. “It ’ll be a lot of 
297 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


fun to go to a circus up here. There ’s so 
much that you wouldn’t get at a performance 
in the city.” 

“Yes, I suppose it ’s one of the really great 
events of the year,” Doctor Halsey remarked. 
“Circus day and county fair week are occur- 
rences which our neighbors anticipate with joy 
and recall with delight. These festal days and 
the arrival of people from the city during the 
vacation season help to break the monotony of 
life on the farm.” 

The Beaver Campers talked much about the 
circus during the time that intervened. Mrs. 
Spencer yielded to the entreaties of her daugh- 
ters and nieces, and agreed to go with them. 
Stover and Rutledge immediately declared 
their intentions of joining the crowd of specta- 
tors, just as soon as the news of the approach- 
ing event reached them. Others from North 
Rutland were planning to be present. The 
circus spirit pervaded the atmosphere, and if 
there exists such a thing as a circus microbe, 
it certainly worked persistently in the district 
from which the circus managers hoped to draw 
patronage. Few persons escaped the infection, 
and it became apparent, as the days passed, 
298 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


that farmers would leave their crops, and store- 
keepers their merchandise; that busy house- 
wives would forsake cooking, mending, and all 
domestic cares in order to enjoy the “colossal 
aggregation of unparalleled wonders.” 

The Beaver Campers were making plans for 
a picnic luncheon at which Mrs. Spencer and 
the girls would he their guests, as would Stover 
and Rutledge. Indeed, it had become quite 
usual to include these jolly student friends of 
Doctor Halsey’s whenever anything of special 
interest was being planned. 

They expected to leave camp in the morning, 
cross the lake, eat luncheon in some pleasant 
spot, then have a long afternoon in which to en- 
joy the parade and, later, the first performance 
of the circus. 

The great day came finally, though its com- 
ing seemed to have taken an unusually long 
time, and Beaver Camp was astir soon after 
sunrise. The weather-wise studied indications 
with some misgiving. There was a dull green- 
ish-black cloudiness about the horizon, al- 
though the sun was shining. The air was 
extremely hot and humid. The surface of the 
lake was broken by only the tiniest of ripples, 
299 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


and leaves hung limply on the motionless 
branches of the trees. 

“Some hot!” groaned Lefty. “I wish we 
had an electric fan in camp.” 

“It would be comfortable to-day,” Tom ad- 
mitted. “I ’m afraid we ’ll get thunder-show- 
ers before the day is over. Those clouds don’t 
look very cheerful to me.” 

“Most likely you don’t look very cheerful to 
them, either,” Tad responded amiably. “If 
we get showers within a few miles of us, per- 
haps it will be cooler.” 

“If it gets real cold, I ’ll want to borrow an 
overcoat,” Jack announced. “Who has one 
that he ’ll carry around for me until I need 
it!” 

“Well, of all cheerful nerves!” Lefty gasped. 
“If you feel that way about it, why not try 
carrying a thin coat of paint!” 

4 ‘ I hope the showers will be real obliging, and 
stay away until after we eat,” Eliot remarked. 
“It would be hard to find a sheltered spot, with 
such a lot of people in town, all looking for the 
same thing.” 

“Yes, rain would spoil the eats,” Charlie 
said anxiously, casting a searching look around 
300 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


the horizon and overhead. “It may not strike 
us. The sun is out now.” 

Owners of launches and small steamers were 
driving a brisk trade from across the lake 
to points near the circus grounds. The hoys 
had made arrangements with the owner of a 
launch to have his boat call for Mrs. Spencer 
and the girls, then stop at the camp landing for 
them about ten o’clock. 

They ran up the signal on a little flag-pole 
at the end of the camp landing, and awaited the 
coming of the launch. 

“I wonder what ’s happened,” Bert said 
presently, looking up and down the lake. “He 
was to call at the Spencer’s before ten o’clock, 
then come right down here. I don’t see a sign 
of his old scow, and it ’s ten minutes after ten 
now. ’ ’ 

“Lots of things might have happened,” 
Lefty responded consolingly. “The boiler 
might have burst and knocked the gallant ship 
into smithereens, or a swordfish might have 
jabbed its sticker into it and sunk the frail 
craft, or maybe a whale upset it. Let ’s be 
calm, and not blame the hardy skipper for the 
delay until we ’re sure it ’s his fault.” 

301 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“You always make such cheerful sugges- 
tions,” Tom laughed. “I think most likely 
he ’s waiting up at Mrs. Spencer’s landing for 
the girls to get ready.” 

“You betray a remarkable knowledge of the 
ways of the fair sex,” Jack declared. “It does 
take girls an endless while to fix up when 
they ’re going anywhere, that ’s a fact ! ’ ’ 
“How extremely ungallant!” Tad sighed. 
“I think the old skipper is doing a land office 
business carting people across the lake, and 
probably has forgotten all about us.” 

“Well, let ’s hang around a while and see 
if he appears,” Edgar suggested. “He may 
show up a little later, and we still have twenty 
minutes or so to spare.” 

So they waited. They fretted and waited 
some more. They grew increasingly impa- 
tient, but still they waited. They kept on wait- 
ing. Then they grew desperate and resolved 
to cease waiting. Lefty volunteered to row up 
to Mrs. Spencer’s landing and see the guests 
safely embarked on any craft that could be 
hailed. This done, he was to return to camp, 
and the boys would get across any way they 
could. 


302 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 

After a time, Lefty was observed in the dis- 
tance, returning with all speed. 

“Well, did you get ’em started?” Tom 
called. 

Lefty shook his head. 

4 4 What ’s up I Are n ’t they going ? ’ ’ 

Lefty rested on his oars, and the boat floated 
in near the landing. 

4 4 No one was around the place,” he reported. 

4 4 House all closed up?” 

4 4 Yes, as tight as a drum, and not a sign of 
anybody on the premises.” 

There was a moment of silence while the 
campers reviewed the situation. 

4 4 Well,” Tom announced finally, “I think 
they ’re across the lake waiting for us. Maybe 
the old skipper got mixed up, and took ’em over 
before he called for us. There comes a little 
launch. Let ’s hail it! There ’s just about 
room enough for us all to squeeze in, but we 
can’t take Stover and Rutledge. They ’ll surely 
think we ’re lost somewhere. We promised to 
call for them, you remember.” 

Doctor Halsey agreed that the suggestion 
was good, so a united shout was raised, accom- 
panied with a vigorous waving of arms, and 
303 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


other violent gestures suggestive of an Indian 
sun dance. A shrill toot from the whistle of 
the diminutive craft told them that their signals 
had been heard. Then the bow swung around 
and pointed toward the camp landing. 

“ There hardly will be room enough on board 
for all of us,” the doctor declared, looking 
doubtfully at the approaching boat. i 1 Perhaps 
the owner will tow one of our rowboats behind. 
Then we can pack our luncheon in it, with two 
or three of us to prevent it from escaping.” 

The skipper of the craft good-naturedly 
agreed (for a consideration), to tow the larger 
of the two camp boats, so it was made fast to 
the stern of the launch, and the campers ac- 
cepted his invitation to 4 ‘pile in.” 

Lefty, Tom, and Tad sat in the rowboat. 
The others crowded on board the launch, and 
slowly they chugged across the lake, reaching 
the eastern shore at about half -past eleven. 

Roads were thronged with vehicles of many 
varieties, and people fairly swarmed in the di- 
rection of the circus tents. 

“I think that when Stover and Rutledge 
found that we were not in sight at the time 
when we ’d agreed to call for them, they made 
304 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


up their minds that something had happened,” 
Eliot remarked. “I believe we shall find them 
over here somewhere.” 

“It ’ll be hard work,” Jack declared in a 
perplexed tone. “We think Mrs. Spencer and 
the girls are here, too, but there ’s such a mob 
that it ’s going to be next to impossible to find 
any one we know.” 

“Never give up!” Lefty exclaimed impres- 
sively. “Just keep moving and looking. 
We ’re pretty sure to run across them. It 
wouldn’t surprise me a bit to find Stover in a 
clown’s suit, helping to make the circus really 
funny. ’ ’ 

About fifteen minutes later, they were walk- 
ing along a road that led back from shore to- 
ward the circus tents. Suddenly, a familiar 
voice hailed them from a shady retreat, and, 
quickly looking around, they discovered Mrs. 
Spencer and the four girls sitting upon light 
shawls spread on the grass. With them, as 
calm and cool (well, perhaps not cool, consider- 
ing the temperature, but untroubled, certainly), 
as if the original arrangement had been ex- 
actly carried out, sat Stover and Rutledge. 

“Greetings!” cried Stover. “Salutations 
305 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


and a cordial welcome! We ’ve been waiting 
for you to bring the lunch. ,, 

“Well, of all things !” gasped the doctor. 
“You fellows certainly do beat all! How did 
you get here and how long have you been wait- 
ing?” 

“How did we get here? Why, your old 
friend Charon, the boatman, called for us, just 
as we arranged yesterday/ ’ 

“He did!” 

1 1 He was very prompt, ’ ’ Mrs. Spencer added. 
“He called at our landing before half -past nine. 
Fortunately, we were all ready. There were a 
number of passengers on board, and we won- 
dered where all you Beaver Campers would find 
room. The launch did not stop at your land- 
ing, however, but kept right on down the lake 
until Mr. Samuelson’s dock was reached. 
Here Mr. Stover and Mr. Rutledge came on 
board. After that, we were taken straight 
across the lake, and we supposed that the cap- 
tain intended to call for you on his next trip. 
We have waited for you in this cool, quiet nook 
which Mr. Rutledge’s sharp eyes discovered for 
us.” 

“Well, wouldn’t that jar you?” Lefty 
306 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


gasped. ‘ ‘ The ancient mariner never came 
near us.” 

Then they drew graphic word pictures of 
their agitation and mental distress, and re- 
ported the sore trials and tribulations through 
which they had passed. Mrs. Spencer, ably 
assisted by the girls, expressed such hearty 
sympathy that they were comforted, and set- 
tled themselves in the shade to rest. 

The land on one side of the road sloped up- 
ward rather abruptly for eight or ten feet, be- 
ing level on top of the rise, and well shaded. 
Here the party settled itself as comfortably as 
space permitted. In the distance could be seen 
the white tents of the circus, and, as the parade 
would soon pass along the road below on its 
way to the town beyond, they decided to eat 
luncheon there, and await the “grand, glitter- 
ing display of public pageantry.” 

“Ah!” Stover cried suddenly, pausing with 
a sandwich mid-way to its destruction. 
‘ ‘ Sounds of martial music smite my ears. The 
monster street parade must have started.” 

Sure enough, a procession of red wagons, 
gaily ornamented with gold leaf, was rolling 
out of the big tent. The band rode in the first 
307 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


chariot, and certainly worked hard in an en- 
deavor to let people know that the parade had 
started. Onward it moved, nearer and nearer 
to the party under the trees. 

Stover rose, assumed the manner of a ring- 
master, and began to explain the features of 
the procession for the benefit of his grinning 
audience. 

4 4 First, ladies and gentlemen, we have a be- 
wildering bit of bewitching band. Next, you 
will kindly observe the gorgeous galaxy of 
glittering glory, gregariously grouped. Now 
approaches the ponderous procession of pre- 
possessing pachyderms. Next in line, we have 
a disgusting drove of dilapidated dromedaries, 
together with a colossal class of celebrated 
camels. We now see before us some savage 
specimens of untamed animals. Keep your 
seats, ladies! There is no danger. Here we 
have a terrifying, tempestuous tiger. Now, a 
wild, wilful wolf. Next, a languorous, lacerat- 
ing lion. Then comes a huge, haughty hip- 
popotamus. In the next cage, a ravenous, 
raging rhinoceros. Finally, a gigantic, gar- 
rulous giraffe. 

“Now upon the scene enter the brave riders 
308 



Stover rose and began to explain the features of the procession 





THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


and fair rideresses. And behold the prancing 
steeds ! Observe the ease and grace with which 
they are controlled! Notice the spirited pic- 
ture which is here presented ! 

“Here come the clowns — joy of youth, solace 
of age. See their antics, wild and frantic. 
Mark their curiously painted faces — no, they 
already have been marked! Comical, curious, 
clever, charming, captivating, consoling — 

“Ah! Here is the familiar tail-end of the 
procession! Our loud-voiced friend, the cal- 
liope. Vociferous music! Wouldn’t it sound 
odd if they played ‘ Sweet and Low’ on one of 
those things ? 

“Well, that’s all of the parade. Hadn’t 
we better amble along toward the tents? We 
want time to buy some peanuts before the show 
begins. ’ ’ 

The others were willing, even eager, to start, 
so they walked leisurely along the road toward 
the circus grounds. Already, dark clouds were 
rolling together in the west, and the wind was 
rising. 

“We ’re going to have a storm before long, 
I ’m afraid,” Doctor Halsey said, a bit anx- 
iously. “The tent is supposed to be water- 
311 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


proof, so I suppose we ’ll keep dry, but I wonder 
if it is put up strongly enough to be safe.” 

“Why, they must strike storms quite often,” 
Tad remarked consolingly. “If there ’s any 
way of making a tent storm-proof, I dare say 
the circus folks know all about it.” 

“We ’ll be careful to sit under a spot that 
doesn’t leak,” Jack added. “It diverts your 
interest to have water splashing down on your 
noble dome.” 

They reached the circus grounds after a 
short walk, and purchased their tickets. Al- 
ready, people were gravitating toward the 
ticket wagon, going thence into the menagerie, 
and on to the main tent. 

“Most of the animals are out helping to 
lengthen the parade,” Eliot observed, looking 
around the almost-deserted tent. 

“Peanuts!” shouted a raucous voice close at 
hand. “Here ’s where you get your double- 
jointed, knock-kneed, pigeon-toed, hump- 
backed, Eocky Mountain peanuts.” 

Stover regarded the vociferous vendor with 
envy unmistakable, and then purchased a 
liberal quantity, as a silent tribute to his vocal 
genius. 


312 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


They procured programs, and hunted up 
their seats. Then they employed the time be- 
fore the show began in munching peanuts, bom- 
barding one another with the shells, and study- 
ing the announcements made in the program. 

Presently, sounds of stirring music were 
heard outside. Nearer and nearer they came. 
Finally, with a crash of cymbals and a vigorous 
thumping of drums, the parade returned from 
its invasion of the town, and moved ponder- 
ously around the tent. 

Then the first numbers on the program were 
started in motion, and the three rings were 
scenes of interest and activity. Event fol- 
lowed event in rapid succession. Clowns per- 
formed all manner of droll antics. Horses 
danced gracefully to the music of waltzes and 
two-steps. Trapeze artists exhibited such skill 
and daring that more than one spectator 
gasped apprehensively; and races of several 
varieties thrilled the excited watchers. Ani- 
mals more or less wild gave convincing demon- 
strations of man’s power over the brute crea- 
tion, and — 

Suddenly, a long rumble of thunder made it- 
self heard above the varied noises of the circus. 

19 313 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Sharp flashes of lightning could be seen through 
the canvas, and the wind blew with increasing 
violence, whirling papers and even small ob- 
jects around, in the confusion that precedes a 
storm. 

The performance continued just as if the hot 
July sun still shone and not a cloud was in 
the sky. A vague restlessness, however, made 
itself apparent among the spectators. A few 
sought the exits. Others looked about them 
with undisguised apprehension. Attention 
was diverted from the rings. 

4 ‘Shall we stay here, Mrs. Spencer, or seek 
some safer shelter? ” the doctor inquired 
politely. 

“I think we are quite safe,” she replied 
quietly. “If we go outside, we shall be ex- 
posed to the full fury of the storm. It may be 
only a thunder-shower, you know. Perhaps the 
sun will be shining again before the perform- 
ance is over.” 

The others had secretly hoped that her de- 
cision would be of this nature, so of course the 
party waited. Meanwhile, the thunder rolled 
nearer and louder. The lightning flashes fol- 
lowed one another in rapid succession, and the 
314 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


wind gathered increasing strength. Now the 
rain came pattering and splashing down about 
the tent. 

All at once, there came a blinding flash of 
lightning, followed almost immediately by a 
deafening clap of thunder. At the same time, 
the flaming lights in the middle of the tent went 
out. 

Women screamed in terror, and some of the 
spectators hastily fled toward the exits. For- 
tunately, the lights still burned brightly at 
either end of the tent, and nothing like a panic 
resulted, though many were visibly nervous and 
alarmed. 

The Beaver Campers hastened to reassure 
Mrs. Spencer and the girls, who were outwardly 
calm and brave in spite of any misgiving which 
they may have felt. 

Soon after the accident, the performance 
concluded abruptly, but most of the spectators 
kept their seats, choosing this shelter in pref- 
erence to the discomforts of the world outside. 

The bolt of lightning that put out the lights 
inside the tent marked the climax of the storm. 
Now the thunder was rolling faintly in the dis- 
tance, the lightning flashes were becoming less 
315 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


frequent, and the rain was falling more gently 
than it had during the worst of the shower. 

“Well, this has been a great day!” Stover re- 
marked cheerfully. “Who ever heard of an- 
other circus that presented acts not advertised 
or entered on the program?” 

“That was the real thing,” Rutledge added. 
“The best of scenic artists could hardly pro- 
duce anything quite as realistic as that storm 
was.” 

“That ’s right, hut it seems to he about over 
now,” Tom announced. “See how many peo- 
ple are going out. Suppose we follow the 
crowd. ’ ’ 

The others were not at all reluctant to move 
about after the long session on the hard seats, 
so they joined the slowly moving throng, and, 
by the time they had reached the outer air, the 
rain had ceased entirely, and sunshine was put- 
ting the dark clouds to rout. 

There was some delay about getting across 
the lake, owing to the large number of people 
who were anxious to get over to the opposite 
shore in the comparatively few boats that were 
available. In spite of the delay, they reached 
the camp landing before sunset, and here the 
316 


THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN 


boys left the launch, while Mrs. Spencer and 
the girls remained on board to be carried up to 
their home. 

As the Beaver Campers walked up the path, 
Lefty broke in upon the animated conversation 
with an exclamation of dismay. 

‘ * What ’s the matter, Lefty f” the doctor 
asked, in sudden alarm. 

“Oh, we ’ll have to sleep standing up,” was 
the doleful response. “All the cots stood out 
there on the piazza during that storm, and with 
a strong west wind driving the rain before it in 
sheets, I can see their finish.” 

And the others, without any difficulty, saw 
the same thing. 


317 


CHAPTER XVII 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 

“T WONDER if we can’t take a little trip 
JL while we ’re up in this region,” Bert said 
one evening, as the Beaver Campers sat around 
the camp-fire. 

‘ 4 Easiest thing in the catalogue,” Lefty as- 
sured him. “Tie a string about six inches 
from the ground across that path from the 
landing, and somebody will surely take a good 
trip.” 

“I believe it will be a good thing, for several 
reasons,” the doctor declared heartily. 

“It will, undoubtedly,” Lefty responded, 
with equal heartiness. “For instance, it will 
illustrate the force of gravitation.” 

“No, no! I was talking of the trip.” 

“Well, that ’s what I was talking of.” 

“Where could we go?” Tom interposed 
hastily, fearing that the humorous word-play 
318 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


might draw attention away from the original 
subject under consideration. 

“ There is such a variety of possible trips 
that it is hard to make a selection/ ’ Doctor 
Halsey said slowly. “We can go hack into the 
mountains of Vermont, or up north to St. Al- 
ban’s Bay — even farther, if you feel so dis- 
posed — with a side trip to Ausable Chasm. 
We can travel westward to Keene Valley, and 
get up into the Adirondacks, or we can go 
southward through country wonderfully rich 
in historical interest. North — south — east — 
west — the world is ours.” 

“It sounds too much like winter to talk of 
going south,” Jack observed. “It ’ll be time 
enough to do that when the snow begins to 
fly. That trip up the lake, stopping at Ausable 
Chasm, sounds good to me.” 

“Yes, I ’d like to see that chasm while we ’re 
in this section,” Tom said eagerly. “It must 
be great ! All kinds of funny rocks, and 
waterfalls, and natural bridges, and rapids 
where you go shooting along in a boat — ” 

“It must he a gunboat, if you go shooting 
along in it,” Tad observed, and his brother 
promptly rolled him over backward. 

319 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“What is there to see down the lake!” Jack 
asked. 

“Well, there are the ruins of two forts — ” 

“Bums! Huh! If you want to see ruins, 
just look over the dinner table when we get 
through. ’ 9 

“There is a monument at Schuylerville 
worth going miles to see.” 

4 4 Oh, yes ! The monument is what I meant , 9 9 
Lefty asserted. 

4 4 Then there is the famous Revolutionary 
battle-field of Saratoga.” 

4 4 Any ice-cream stores and moving picture 
shows!” 

4 4 Really, I don’t know! I think it 9 a likely 
you might find some.” 

4 4 You can keep right on going, if you once 
get started south,” Bert announced. 4 4 There ’s 
nothing to stop you. Just sail down the lake, 
and the Champlain Canal, then into the Hudson 
River, and so on into the ocean, the Gulf of 
Mexico, and — er — what comes after that!” 

4 4 Panama Canal,” Lefty suggested help- 
fully. 4 4 Through that into the Pacific Ocean, 
up into the Arctic Ocean, and down by way of 
the St. Lawrence River and other things until 
320 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


you get back to the starting point. A real 
jolly trip!” 

“It ’s all very well to talk of taking trips,” 
Edgar objected, “but where ’s the money com- 
ing from? It costs a heap to go gallivanting 
around the country.” 

“Gallivanting is a Greek word, isn’t it?” 
Tad inquired innocently. “It has a foreign 
sound . 9 9 

Edgar nodded. “It comes from the Greek 
root galli, meaning traveling, and vanting, 
meaning the same thing,” he explained. “Re- 
peated for emphasis, you see.” 

“Well, if it ’s going to cost much, I see 
where this chicken scratches in his own farm- 
yard,” Lefty declared. “My income, gentle- 
men, is limited only by the size of my pocket- 
book.” 

“And you haven’t any pocketbook,” Tom 
chuckled. 

“Nor any income, either.” 

“It ought not to cost so much,” Eliot said 
thoughtfully. “There are certain things that 
we have to buy every day. I shouldn’t think 
it would matter much whether we pay for them 
here or somewhere else.” 

321 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“I suppose not — as long as we pay,” Tom 
responded. “We ’ve done well so far. I went 
over our accounts with the doctor a few days 
ago, and found that we had enough money left 
to carry us through the rest of the season and 
leave a balance over for emergencies.” 

“That comes to me,” Lefty informed them, 
“I lost my balance yesterday.” 

“We haven’t enough boats to carry the 
crowd,” Cousin Willie now suggested, “and 
you wouldn’t want to row so far, would 
you?” 

“No. That ’s too much of a pull,” Bert de- 
clared. “We might do it in canoes, if we had 
enough of them.” 

“I saw a dandy gasoline launch for rent 
the other day,” Tom announced. “The owner 
wants five dollars a day for it, though.” 

“In this dark vale of tears, people don’t al- 
ways get what they want, ’ ’ Tad reminded him. 
“If we bid twenty-five dollars a week, I think 
we stand a good show of getting it. Maybe we 
can work him for a cash discount, too, if we 
pay in advance.” 

“Yes, but even if you get it, who ’s going 
to be the engineer?” Jack wanted to know. 
322 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


“Can any fellow here rnn the engine or manage 
the steering apparatus ?” 

“Stover can,” the doctor announced. “He 
knows all about engines and gasoline launches 
and such things. He ’s cruised around quite 
a bit in one sort or another.” 

“I see where he gets asked to go with us, 
then,” Jack observed. “It ’s likely we ’d have 
wanted him and Rutledge in the crowd, any- 
how, for they follow us around just like Mary’s 
little lamb. Really, I think they spend more 
time down here than they do at Samuelson’s 
where they ’re supposed to be staying. We ’ll 
have to give them a special invitation to go 
traveling with us.” 

“They won’t need much urging,” Doctor 
Halsey assured them. “You can depend upon 
their prompt and enthusiastic acceptance of 
your invitation.” 

“That ’s settled then,” Jack remarked with 
evident satisfaction. “We have a boat in 
view, and some one to run it. Now where ’ll 
we go?” 

‘ i There are reasons why I think we ’d better 
postpone our trip north until later,” the doctor 
responded. “We ’ll see Ausable Chasm and 
323 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


the northern part of the lake before we go 
home, but not just now.” 

‘ ‘ Hist! a mystery!” Tad muttered. 

1 1 That trip south is all right,” Tom assured 
them. “Let ’s see, we sail right down the lake 
until we strike the Champlain Canal, don’t 
we?” 

The doctor nodded. “Yes, that ’s right! 
After that, you can continue indefinitely. 
How long a trip do you fellows want to take?” 

“Let ’s hire the boat for a week, if we can 
get a special rate that way,” Tom suggested. 
1 1 Then we can start on Monday, and come back 
when we feel like it.” 

“You ’ll have to feel like it when the week ’s 
up, whether you really feel that you feel like it 
or not,” Tad declared with much feeling, “be- 
cause if you don’t feel like it, most likely your 
conscience will make you feel that you ought 
to be sort of feeling your way back, so ’s not to 
hurt anybody’s feelings.” 

“Piffle! just listen to the oracle,” Lefty 
cried. “Being out in the hot sun too much 
makes people talk that way. What ’s good for 
that complaint, Doctor?” 

“Try a flaxseed poultice at the base of the 

324 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


brain,” the doctor advised with a laugh. 
‘ ‘ That *s an old-fashioned remedy, but it ’s a 
good one.” 

After considerable discussion, they arranged 
a plan for the proposed trip, “ subject to change 
without notice,” like a time-table. 

Tom, Tad, and Jack were appointed a com- 
mittee to locate the man who desired to rent 
his motor boat, and see what terms could be 
arranged with him. The doctor agreed to con- 
sult Stover and Rutledge, map out their course, 
and discuss transportation items. Bert, Lefty, 
and Cousin Willie were given charge of the 
commissary department, and instructed to look 
over the supplies on hand and make a list of 
things needed. The others had general com- 
missions to examine every source of informa- 
tion at their disposal, in order to discover mat- 
ters of historical interest related to the country 
through which they would pass. 

The proposal to journey eastward into the 
mountains of Vermont, or westward into the 
Adirondacks received scant consideration, for 
either trip would necessarily have to be made 
on foot, and a long tramp in hot weather did 
not strongly appeal to the campers. Perhaps 
325 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


they might have regarded the idea more fa- 
vorably if they could have walked without bur- 
dens, but the prospect of toiling onward mile 
after mile, with a heavy pack upon each back 
and the sun pouring its rays generously upon 
the party, certainly was not alluring. 

The rest of the week was spent in prepara- 
tion. They secured the use of the launch for 
six days at a cost of twenty-five dollars, and 
expected to leave camp early on Monday morn- 
ing, returning Saturday night. Stover and 
Rutledge, as the doctor had predicted, were 
highly enthusiastic over the proposed trip, and 
suggested that they travel as far southward as 
Albany, stopping on the way whenever it was 
desired to examine any point of interest, and 
returning thence without pausing for sight- 
seeing. Supplies were purchased, prepara- 
tions were fully made, and then the hour of 
departure was awaited with restless impa- 
tience. 

Monday morning dawned fair and warm. 
The launch was lying at the camp landing, hav- 
ing been brought thither soon after daylight, 
and the first duty of the campers was to carry 
their supplies on board. They worked busily, 
326 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


and before nine o’clock everything was ready 
for a start. 

The Beaver Campers had discussed routes 
and plans until they felt fully competent to ar- 
range “ personally conducted tours” for any 
one in need of such service. It had finally been 
decided to follow the suggestion of Stover, and 
travel as far southward as Albany, provided 
they were favored with good weather, and thus 
permitted to get as far from home as the dis- 
tant terminal point. 

Mrs. Spencer and the four girls came down 
to witness their departure, and to wish the 
travelers a pleasant trip. This somewhat de- 
layed the beginning of the cruise, as the boys 
seemed a bit reluctant to leave the shore. In 
time, however, each took his place in the launch, 
and Stover busied himself with a maze of 
wheels and levers which looked wonderfully 
complex to eyes unaccustomed to such things. 
Then the whistle tooted a shrill farewell, part- 
ing words with those on shore were exchanged, 
and the Rainbow moved away from the landing 
and pointed its bow toward the south. 

“I wonder why they named this boat Rain- 
bow,” Tom ventured. 

327 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


“Because you wouldn’t see it if we never 
had rain,” Edgar suggested. 

“It ’s a reminder of Noah and the Ark,” Tad 
responded impressively. “The rainbow is an 
arc, you know.” 

“Oh, sure! I surrender!” Tom gasped, rais- 
ing his hands in a gesture of helplessness. 
“Well, anyhow, I hope the name of our ship is 
a proof that all storms are over for a while.” 

Rutledge was steering, with Lefty and Eliot 
watching him carefully and learning how to 
handle the wheel. Bert and the doctor were 
listening to Stover’s explanation of the engine, 
and the uses of various wheels, levers, and 
other mechanical devices. 

“It looks simple,” Bert remarked. 

“Why, yes,” Stover assured him. “It ’s 
just a matter of doing the right thing at the 
right time. Try it a while, Bert! Nothing 
like practice, you know. She ’s running all 
right now, and we have a clear stretch ahead. ’ ’ 

Bert settled himself to watch the engine as a 
physician might study a critical case. Stover 
wiped his hands on some cotton waste, and 
walked forward. He faced the boys, assuming 
the manner of a lecturer, and began: 

328 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 

“ Gentlemen and fellow-Rainbow-chasers, I 
desire to call your attention to the beautiful 
and highly interesting country through which 
we are passing. On the left, you see the State 
of Vermont, with the Green Mountains in the 
distance. Here it is that the famous green 
cheese is prepared, from which the moon is 
made. Vermont is famous for many things, 
among which are quarries, maple sugar, and 
Beaver Camp. 

“On your right, you see the State of New 
York, with the Adirondacks standing out in 
bold relief against the — er — the cerulean blue. 
Adirondacks is an Indian word, meaning high. 
This refers not only to the altitude of these 
famous mountains but also to the charges levied 
by keepers of summer hotels and camps.’ ’ 

“Where did you get your translation ?” the 
doctor demanded. 

“An old Indian gave it to me,” was the un- 
disturbed response. “For many years, he has 
stood in front of a cigar store in my native city 
and is an authority on such matters.” 

“It wouldn’t surprise me to hear that you 
made it up yourself, as you went along,” Eliot 
remarked with a laugh. “The guide-book says 
20 329 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


that Adirondacks is a name that the Iroquois 
gave the Algonquins. It means ‘he eats 
bark.’ ” 

“Suit yourself,” Stover remarked amiably. 
“Translations never bother me in the least. 
As I was about to remark, ladies and gentle- 
men, we are approaching a district where the 
patriotic Continental troops, often footsore 
and hungry — ” 

“They ’re not the only ones who felt the 
pangs of hunger around these parts,” Lefty 
interrupted. “Save the rest of your speech 
until after lunch, Stover. We ’ll be in better 
shape to endure it then.” 

“All right,” Stover agreed good-naturedly, 
“hut don’t fool yourselves with the idea that 
it ’s going to spoil my appetite, thereby leaving 
that much more for some one else. I always 
eat twice as much when I have a speech to make 
later. ’ ’ 

“There ’s a spot that looks good to me!” 
Edgar cried. ‘ ‘ See ! Right over there on that 
shady bank.” 

Rutledge took the wheel, and guided the boat 
close to the high, well-shaded bank of a little 
cove. This was a pleasant location, and no 
330 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


habitation was near, so the campers felt per- 
fectly safe in going ashore and making them- 
selves at home. 

Their first meal consisted largely of peanut 
butter sandwiches, crackers, and apples, which 
a kind neighbor furnished, involuntarily, from 
his orchard near by. In the midst of the feast, 
sounds of approaching footsteps reached their 
ears, and presently a short, stout, red-faced 
man, together with a tall, raw-boned male com- 
panion appeared on the scene. 

‘ i What ’ r ’ you doin’ here?” cried the man 
with the Italian sunset complexion. “ Can’t 
you read the signs I put up, warning tresp’ssers 
to keep off these here premises?” 

The men drew nearer, one angrily and with a 
strong suggestion of violence; the other dif- 
fidently and with extreme reluctance. 

Stover sprang to his feet with every appear- 
ance of alarm, and waved the pair back with 
gestures that were wild and violent, as if made 
by one laboring under intense excitement. 

4 ‘ Don’t come any closer if you value your 
health,” he exclaimed. “We are three doctors 
who are taking these hoys south. I ’m not go- 
ing to tell you the reason why we are doing 
331 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


this, because I have no wish to spread wild 
rumors around the neighborhood and cause a 
panic. I ’ll just warn you to keep at least 
twenty-five feet away. You may be able to 
guess the reason why I tell you this.” 

The men stopped. The avenger stepped 
back a yard, his companion fully six. 

6 4 Don’t linger in the atmosphere,” Stover 
continued very earnestly, 4 ‘because you know 
not what the consequences may be. The air is 
full of germs, and even now my practiced eye 
tells me that one is about to attack your left 
ear. ’ ’ 

(It really was a mosquito, but it served 
Stover’s purpose quite as well as the deadliest 
of microbes.) 

The thin man retreated at least ten feet fur- 
ther, but the other held his ground. 

“I ’ll have the law on you!” he vowed ex- 
citedly. “You watch ’em, Hiram! Don’t let 
’em get into that ’ere boat, whatever happens. 
I ’ll go and get the constable. When I put up 
those signs warning everybody to keep away 
from my apples, I vowed and declared I ’d 
make an example of the first ones that tres- 
passed on these ’ere premises,” and he shook 
332 
















AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


his head in savage emphasis. Then he swung 
around and strode off, leaving the lanky Hiram 
to guard the captives of war. 

Stover seated himself with a gesture of resig- 
nation. Then, suddenly, he started to his feet, 
drew a small knife from his pocket, and walked 
toward the frightened guard. 

“As long as you have to stay around here, 
Hiram, I advise you to he vaccinated, ’ ’ he said 
soberly. “Of course, it will be very painful, 
but it ’s much the safest course to follow. Now 
if you will — ” 

“Go ’way from me!” screamed Hiram, step- 
ping backward in sheer terror. ‘ ‘ Help ! Help ! 
Keep away I tell you!” 

Still Stover walked slowly toward the man, 
who now was helpless with terror, and utterly 
unmindful of anything but the presence of this 
awful doctor who seemed capable of carrying 
out the mysterious directions he was giving for 
the safeguarding of Hiram ’s health. 

The campers took advantage of this situa- 
tion, and hastily scrambled on board the Rain- 
bow. Stover heard the noise, and, quickly 
turning his head, saw that they had escaped. 
Then he backed slowly away from Hiram, sud- 
335 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

denly turned, and, with a cry of warning to 
those in the boat, ran at top speed down the 
bank and leaped on board. 

Hiram was too greatly bewildered to realize 
how he had been outwitted. He did venture 
down to the shore, and uttered threats that 
grew bolder as the boat sailed away, but he 
took no steps to prevent their departure. 

“Another battle of Lake Champlain, in which 
the enemy has been completely routed by 
strategy,” Stover announced gravely. 

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself to 
take advantage of such a timid, trustful crea- 
ture,” Doctor Halsey said severely. 

“I am!” Stover confessed. “Watch me 
blush ! It was very naughty, and I ’ll never do 
it again, but really it was the best thing I could 
think of on the spur of the moment, and, let me 
tell you, Brother Halsey, you ran just as fast 
as any one when my — er — well, call it strategy, 
provided a means of escape.” 

Then there was a general laugh, and Doctor 
Halsey had nothing further to say. 

During the afternoon, the party explored 
Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga, trying to 
recall the stirring scenes which the crumbling 
336 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


walls liad witnessed, as they rambled over the 
historic ground. 

The fort at Ticonderoga had been restored to 
a condition as nearly as possible like that of 
Revolutionary days, and the boys spent con- 
siderable time in exploring the interesting 
building. 

They camped that night along the south-east- 
ern shore, near the foot of the lake, beginning 
the day on Tuesday with an early bath in the 
cool water. 

The second day of their cruise found them at 
Schuylerville. They discovered trolley cars 
here and moving picture shows, yet there was 
much of the old colonial life suggested by the 
architecture of several venerable houses and 
by other features of interest preserved from 
the time when the nation was in its infancy. 
Here, too, they saw the impressive Saratoga 
Battle Monument, and took time to climb to its 
top, studying as they went the bronze tablets 
set in the walls, depicting stirring incidents of 
the American Revolution. When they mounted 
the last stair, they forgot the weariness of the 
ascent in their enjoyment of the rarely mag- 
nificent panorama spread out below. North — 
337 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


south — east — west — every direction revealed a 
picture of surpassing beauty, and the campers 
were reluctant to leave. 

The party spent more than two hours in 
drowsy old Schuylerville, going thence to 
Bemis Heights. Here they wandered over the 
Saratoga battle-field, where an engagement of 
decisive importance occurred during the Revo- 
lution. Aided by monuments which mark im- 
portant spots, and by memories of the un- 
usually clear and interesting report of this bat- 
tle which they recently had read in Lossing’s 
“Fieldbook of the American Revolution’ ’ bor- 
rowed from the nearest library, the Beaver 
Campers were able to live over again in imagi- 
nation this stirring battle. 

This ended the sightseeing for the day. 
Wednesday morning was dull and cloudy, with 
heavy showers at intervals, so they took refuge 
in Stillwater, and held a council of war. 

“It looks to me as if it might clear up this 
afternoon,” the doctor announced hopefully. 
“Then we can continue our cruise toward the 
capital of New York State.” 

“New York has two capitals,” Lefty re- 
minded him, “N and Y.” 

338 


AN HISTORICAL PILGRIMAGE 


The doctor’s cheerful prediction was ful- 
filled. By one o’clock in the afternoon, the 
sun was shining brightly, and soon they were 
on their way. Wednesday night found them in 
Troy, and most of Thursday was spent in ex- 
ploring that city and Albany. 

On Friday morning, they started back to- 
ward camp , 4 4 all well, all happy, and all broke, ’ ’ 
as Lefty cheerfully reminded them. 

4 4 Yes, we’ve blown in all our surplus,” Tom 
observed, 4 4 but we ’ve seen a lot of things that 
we ’ll never forget. Believe me, it was worth 
all it cost.” 

Saturday brought them back to Beaver 
Camp, and Stover agreed to take the launch 
back to the landing of its owner, so the campers 
grouped themselves on the shore and watched 
the boat until it disappeared from sight around 
a point to the north. 

4 4 That ’s the way all rainbows fade,” Tad re- 
marked. 4 4 They ’re beautiful for a while, then 
they disappear, and you have only memories.” 

4 4 That ’s right!” Lefty agreed. 4 4 Memories 
and appetites ! I wonder if there ’s anything 
in the bungalow to eat.” 

And they hurried up to investigate. 

339 


CHAPTER XVIII 


“by the light of the silvery moon” 

T HE week that followed the trip was spent 
quietly at Beaver Camp. Lefty re- 
marked that the only active thing about the 
place was the practice of economy. This was 
in daily evidence, and by a little self-denial and 
prudent management, the camp finances once 
more approached a condition resembling the 
Rock of Gibraltar in strength and solidity. 
Nor were the campers depressed by the eco- 
nomical policies in force. On the contrary, 
they made merry over privation, and kept up 
a friendly rivalry to see who could suggest the 
most thrifty idea or the plan that promised to 
save the largest amount. 

Of course, the time was not spent in idleness. 
Every day found the boys in the lake or on it 
— generally both. The enthusiastic anglers 
fished to their hearts’ content. Those who en- 
joyed tramping explored fields and roads with- 
340 


“BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON” 


in a radius of ten miles. Cousin Willie took 
a number of pictures and developed several 
rolls of films under the guidance and direction 
of his senior partner, Lefty. 

In the city, Cousin Willie had his develop- 
ing and printing done for him, so that he 
might be spared annoyance, labor, and possible 
stains from the chemicals used. Up here at 
camp, however, Lefty had persuaded the boy 
to undertake this work himself, and the results 
which their combined labor produced gave the 
junior partner unbounded delight and satisfac- 
tion. They developed the films in a tank, and 
printed the negatives on blue-print post cards, 
which the others were eager to purchase. In- 
deed, Beaver Camp felt very high-toned and 
exclusive because it had post cards “grown on 
the premises,” as Lefty said. 

The intimacy between these two campers 
which had commenced at the beginning of the 
camp season had been of inestimable value in 
developing Cousin Willie. Lefty was just the 
ideal companion for such a boy — strong of 
body, clean of mind, patient, kind-hearted, and 
irrepressibly cheerful. In fact, he was the liv- 
ing embodiment of certain lines of conduct 
341 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


which Cousin Willie had begun to cherish just 
before coming to Beaver Camp, and for the ac- 
tive possession of which he had resolved to 
strive with might and main. 

Tad and Tom were quick to see the change in 
their cousin, and were beyond measure amazed, 
for they had so long known an entirely differ- 
ent sort of boy. Instead of being jealous of 
Lefty ’s influence over his partner, they re- 
joiced in the emancipation of the boy from 
babyhood, and did all they could to encourage 
him. 

The other campers, too, seemed to realize 
that the boy was doing his best to show the 
proper spirit, and they admired him for it. 
Instead of having in their ranks a babyish, 
selfish, spoiled child, who must be treated with 
tolerant patience, and a sort of contemptuous 
kindness, as they had anticipated, they found 
a happily different specimen with which to 
deal. They accepted Cousin Willie for what 
he tried to be, and treated him exactly as they 
did any other camper, which fact filled him 
with whole-hearted contentment and gave him 
encouragement to keep up the good work. He 
was supremely happy now. He had put on 
342 


“BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON” 


inches and pounds since coming to Beaver 
Camp. His face was round, rosy, and bronzed 
by sun and wind. Moreover, be bad lost bis 
feeling of restless discontent and bis air of 
bored indifference. Gone, too, was bis languid, 
luxury-loving manner. Tbe natural boy with- 
in him had awakened, and did not seem likely 
to be lulled into slumber very soon. 

All tbe Beaver Campers appeared to be in 
perfect health. For nearly two months, they 
bad lived a simple, healthful life out-of-doors, 
and Nature bad richly rewarded them for fol- 
lowing her precepts. Much of the time, they 
wore sleeveless jerseys which exposed their 
arms and shoulders to Nature’s bronzing proc- 
esses, and there was not a trace of “city pal- 
lor” in the tanned faces and arms. 

One evening, as the boys were gathered about 
the supper-table, Tom seized upon an oppor- 
tunity when conversation lulled, and made a 
sudden announcement. 

“I have an idea!” 

“Well, we ’re glad to know it,” his brother 
assured him, “but if you had n’t mentioned the 
fact, none of us would have suspected it. Why 
don’t you pass it around? You know very well 
343 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


that it ’s not polite to have something that no- 
body else has.” 

‘ 4 Do you mean that none of us has ideas ?” 
the doctor demanded with a laugh. 

“Oh, no! Only that nobody could possibly 
have an idea like Tom’s.” 

“How do you know what it is?” Tom de- 
manded. 

“I know the kind you generally get. Fire 
away, Tommy ! Don ’t you see every one watch- 
ing you and holding his breath in suspense?” 

“When I was in North Rutland this after- 
noon, I saw a wagon all fixed for a hay ride,” 
Tom continued. “It was going toward one of 
the boarding-houses. Now why can’t we get 
one up for some evening next week? We have 
a full moon then.” 

“Hurray!” Lefty cried. “We ’ll invite 
Mrs. Spencer and the girls and Cjax — ” 

“And we ’ll get some horns and wake up the 
neighborhood,” Jack added. 

“And sing ‘Aunt Dinah’s Quilting Party’ 
and all the other songs we know,” Bert sug- 
gested. 

“Why, you seem to like my idea, after all,” 
laughed Tom. 


344 


“BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON” 


“Sure thing! It ’ll be swell!” the others as- 
sured him. 

The suggestion was received with such 
hearty enthusiasm that plans were fully ma- 
tured before another sun had set. A hay rig- 
ging was hired, together with a strong team 
and a careful driver. Invitations were ex- 
tended to Mrs. Spencer and the girls and a 
prompt acceptance was given. Stover and 
Rutledge agreed to assist Mrs. Spencer as ad- 
ditional chaperons. A town distant about five 
miles from North Rutland was chosen as a 
destination, because it furnished opportunities 
for refreshment and for several varieties of 
harmless amusement. Horns were purchased 
and all arrangements perfected for a start in 
the early evening of the day appointed. 

When the hour of departure arrived, the 
campers left the bungalow and walked out to 
the main highway where the wagon was to call 
for them. Stover and Rutledge already had 
appeared, so they all perched on a fence near 
by to await the coming of the chariot. 

“It ’s going to be a fine night,” Stover re- 
marked thankfully. “I ’m glad of that, al- 
though we ’re so bright naturally that I sup- 
345 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

pose we could have managed without the moon- 
lights ’ 

“I see that Tad has brought his mandolin,” 
Rutledge added. “Now we shall have some 
music on the ride.” 

“Such as it is,” Lefty murmured, and Tad 
promptly pushed him off the fence. 

“We have a lot of horns in the crowd, too,” 
Lefty announced from the ground. “Oh, this 
is a musical crowd, all right ! ’ ’ 

“Here comes the chariot!” Tom cried, as the 
rattle of a springless wagon-frame sounded 
farther up the road, and soon they were climb- 
ing aboard and arranging themselves as com- 
fortably as possible on the fresh, clean hay. 

They drove slowly up to Mrs. Spencer’s cot- 
tage, where the ladies were waiting for them. 
Then the party was complete, and the ride be- 
gan — officially. 

“The children have been very good, Mrs. 
Spencer,” Stover assured the chaperon. “I 
watched them very carefully all the way. Of 
course, they were noisy, but that ’s to be ex- 
pected of the little dears when they have an out- 
ing. Bless their hearts!” 

Mrs. Spencer laughed merrily. “I wonder 
346 


“BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON” 


if you will be as jolly when you are really Doc- 
tor Stover, and have a lot of sick people to 
think of,” she ventured. “If you are, I be- 
lieve I shall be tempted to send for you when I 
feel the need of being cheered.” 

“Thank you, Mrs. Spencer,” he replied 
gratefully. “You see, brethren, already I 
have the patronage of one patient assured. 
How is that for a start?” 

“Fine!” Rutledge responded with a little 
laugh. “It surely is fortunate for you, but 
quite the reverse for Mrs. Spencer. Then, too, 
might I suggest that it sounds very heartless 
and cold-blooded to hear a young doctor re- 
joicing over the prospect of having a patient?” 

“This begins to sound like a clinic,” Doctor 
Halsey added. “It ’s going to be a fine thing 
later for Stover to have so much fun and mis- 
chief at his command. A physician has a great 
deal to make him feel depressed and anxious!” 

“Yes, indeed!” Mrs. Spencer agreed. “You 
remember what Solomon says — ‘A merry heart 
doeth good like a medicine ’ — and I suppose a 
physician and his patient both share the bene- 
fit of the cheer.” 

“That applies to other walks of life, too,” 
21 347 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Stover declared. "A man can fight through 
’most anything if he keeps cheerful — hut let ’s 
leave onr moralizing until later. Who knows 
a new story?” 

4 'Did I ever tell you about the time I went 
hunting in Arizona?” Rutledge inquired. 

"Why, I didn’t know — ” Stover began. 
Then he stopped abruptly, and added almost 
immediately, "Why, no, you never told me, 
and I don’t suppose any of the others have 
heard about it.” 

"It was some years ago,” Rutledge began. 
"We were told that Mexican swallows might 
be found there. You know they are quite rare. 
One seldom sees them in this part of the coun- 
try, and they are almost never shot. In fact, 
there is a law against it, but in that part of the 
country, law is regarded less highly than in our 
eastern states. 

' ‘ I had been staying in a small town near the 
boundary line between Arizona and New Mex- 
ico. It was just a little collection of houses 
with a ramshackle hotel at one end of the 
street and a livery stable at the other. It was 
possible to walk from the main entrance of the 
hotel to the livery stable in just about three 
348 


“BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON” 


minutes, so you can imagine the extent of the 
place. The hotel was named ‘The Arizona 
Palace. ’ 

“I had a room on the second floor that com- 
manded a view of the heavens above through 
holes in the roof, and of the earth beneath 
through the single window at the front of my 
palatial apartment. The glass in the window 
was broken, and this furnished ventilation, 
each sash having been nailed to the window 
frame. 

“The first night — but I started to tell you 
about the Mexican swallow. One morning, I 
was awakened by the proprietor just as the 
sun was rising. He told me that this was just 
the sort of day for my quest. 

“A little pony, saddled and ready for use, 
stood before the hotel, and soon I was mounted 
and riding over the prairie. I kept a vigilant 
watch, but saw no swallows. 

“It was an unusually hot morning, even for 
that region of high temperatures, and, after a 
little time, I began to look about for a shady 
spot in which to rest. 

“After riding slowly onward for two or 
three miles, I saw a few trees ahead, and hur- 
349 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


ried toward this shelter. As I drew near, I 
observed that another horseman had arrived 
before me. Closer inspection showed that he 
was a Mexican. 

“I dismounted, and we exchanged greetings. 
The Mexican was drinking from a spring which 
these trees sheltered, and as I watched him, I 
saw a Mexican swallow.” 

There was just an instant of silence, then a 
vigorous tooting of horns and a chorus of 
groans. 

“The West is a great region for adven- 
tures,” Stover said finally, after comments 
upon the Mexican swallow had become less vio- 
lent. “I remember hearing my great-grand- 
father tell of an experience he had out in Wy- 
oming among the Indians. He was a hardy 
pioneer, you know, and lived in a log cabin, just 
as did the men you ’ve read about in books. 
When he wanted a meal, he ’d take his rifle and 
go out hunting. Before he ’d been out long, 
he ’d be pretty sure to find some game. 

“Well, one day, he heard that the Indians 
had gone on the war-path, so he thought it 
would be a good plan to lay in a supply of 
350 


“BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON” 


food, and keep under cover until the trouble 
passed over. 

“He started out and walked about five miles. 
All at once, be beard an awful yelling and saw 
a whole tribe of Indians closing in on him from 
all directions. He was completely surrounded, 
and no way of escape seemed to present itself. 
In this desperate emergency, be saw a tree just 
ahead of him that was growing out of the side 
of a great bill. We should have called it a 
mountain here in the East. 

“Dropping his rifle, he hastily climbed up 
into this tree, worked his way along a branch, 
and swung off, landing upon one of the trails 
across this big hill. He ran along this path 
just as fast as he could, with the Indians dash- 
ing in pursuit. Suddenly, a great big bear 
came out of the woods, and stood right in the 
way, waiting for great-grandfather to come 
nearer. 

“It was an awful moment, but life on the 
frontier makes men quick-witted, so he sprang 
aside, dashed for a rocky cliff at the edge of 
the hill, and leaped down. 

“The back of his hunting- jacket caught on 

351 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


a projecting piece of rock, and lie managed to 
swing himself into a cleft in the rock, just be- 
hind him. The Indians followed him to the 
edge of the cliff, then they sat down, waiting 
for great-grandfather to show himself.’ ’ 

Here Stover paused. 

4 4 What happened then?” Cousin Willie asked 
breathlessly. 

4 4 Nothing yet,” Stover replied. 4 4 The In- 
dians still are waiting, but great-grandfather 
has n ’t shown himself. ’ * 

Another blast on the horns saluted the un- 
expected ending of the tale, and presently 
some one suggested that a little music would 
be welcome. 

Then Tad obligingly 4 4 tuned up” his mando- 
lin, and played some of the familiar pieces that 
he could render from memory. The others 
sang a vigorous, and more or less tuneful ac- 
companiment. 

Thus they made their way slowly onward to- 
ward their destination, which was reached a 
little before nine o’clock. The party invaded 
an ice-cream parlor before many minutes had 
passed, and the proprietor and his assistants 
had a busy half-hour. 

352 


“BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON” 


Then they separated into several groups, 
agreeing to assemble promptly at ten o’clock 
in front of the hotel where the wagon and team 
were quartered. 

The minutes passed swiftly. Then, from a 
church steeple near by, ten slow, solemn, deep- 
toned chimes sounded. From several direc- 
tions, the boys and their companions converged 
upon the place of assembly. 

Five minutes passed — ten — still the party 
was not complete. Tad and Cousin Willie 
were missing. 

“Who knows what ’s become of Tad and 
Will?” the doctor asked, a bit anxiously. 
“They were due here ten minutes ago.” 

Just then, Tad appeared in the distance, and 
hurried toward them, but Cousin Willie was not 
in sight. 


353 


CHAPTER XIX 


VISITORS AT CAMP 

T AD and Cousin Willie had not visited either 
of the two moving picture shows which the 
town supported. They declared that it would 
be more fun to see the town, so they wandered 
along the main street, looking into the windows 
of stores and enjoying the very mild confusion 
and thrill of metropolitan life, which contrasted 
so strongly with the quiet stillness of Beaver 
Camp. 

u Do we need any supplies, Bill?” Tad asked, 
as they approached a hardware store. 

“I don’t know of anything,” was the reply. 
Cousin Willie was called “Bill” very gener- 
ally now by all the Beaver Campers, and proud 
he was to be hailed by this intimate title that 
suggested a fraternal fellowship with these 
older hoys whom he so ardently admired. 
“There ’s an auto outside the store that looks 
354 


VISITORS AT CAMP 


like yours,” Tad announced, pointing toward a 
touring car that stood alongside the curb in 
front of the hardware store. 

‘ ‘ That ’s right, Tad ! It certainly does ! ’ 9 

“ Better claim it, Bill, and ride back to camp 
in style.” 

Cousin Willie laughed at the idea, and they 
walked over to get a closer view of the car. 

“Of course, it is n’t ours,” he declared, “but 
it looks exactly the same.” 

“Well, that might easily he. The company 
doesn’t make just one car of a certain model, 
and all the others different. Most likely this 
car is an exact duplicate of yours.” 

Tad walked around to the rear of the car. 
“What ’s the number of your license tag, Bill?” 
he asked. 

4 ‘ I don ’t remember the new one. I wrote the 
old number down in a memorandum book that 
I used to carry, but Papa has another tag now.” 

“And you have another hook. It beats all 
how things change.” 

Just then, a man in a long, linen automobile 
coat came out of the store. Tad saw him as he 
turned toward the car, and the expression of 
amazement that spread over his face caused 
355 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 

Cousin Willie to turn quickly in order to learn 
the cause. 

The man saw them at the same instant, and 
stopped short in bewildered astonishment, as 
if he doubted the evidence which his eyes re- 
vealed. 

“Papa!” cried Cousin Willie, springing for- 
ward. 

“Why, Willie — ” gasped the astonished Wil- 
liam Langley Ainsworth, Senior. 

“They call me Bill now,” the boy ventured, 
clinging affectionately to his father, and Mr. 
Ainsworth smiled contentedly as he realized 
what the change signified. 

Tad managed to squeeze in his share of greet- 
ing at this point, and all three seated themselves 
in the automobile. 

“Why, son, how you have grown!” Mr. 
Ainsworth exclaimed. “And how well you 
look! Why, I don’t believe I We ever seen you 
looking so well.” 

“I don’t believe you have,” the boy replied. 
‘ ‘ I feel fine, and you ought to see how my mus- 
cles have developed. I can swim and dive and 
paddle and row for miles without getting 
tired. ’ 9 


356 



The man stopped short in bewildered astonishment 

















VISITORS AT CAMP 


Mr. Ainsworth seemed unable to take his gaze 
off the plump face of his son. “I declare, Will, 
I don’t believe your mother would have recog- 
nized you. Think so, Tad!” 

“I ’m afraid she wouldn’t, Uncle William, 
especially if he was wearing clothes that she 
had n’t seen on him. I think now that most of 
the family would have to identify him by his 
clothes. ’ ’ 

“Why, he ’s so much larger and broader! 
He ’s grown every way ! ’ ’ 

“That’s right, Uncle William!” Tad ex- 
claimed heartily. “Bill has grown every way. 
There ’s just as much change inside of him as 
outside. He ’s a real boy now, through and 
through! He ’s shown a lot of grit this sum- 
mer at different times, and I ’m proud of him — 
we all are, in fact — and I don’t mind saying 
so ! ” Tad concluded by laying his hand gently 
upon his cousin’s shoulder, and the boys looked 
at each other with happiness and satisfaction 
shining out of each pair of eyes. 

Mr. Ainsworth was silent a moment. Then 
lie said: 

“Ah, Tad ! How much we have to thank you 
359 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


for— you, and Tom, and the others who have 
been so kind to our boy. ,, 

Tad was afraid that the situation might be- 
come embarrassing, so he laughed, and replied 
lightly : 

“You can see that it hasn’t worn us out, 
Uncle William. The fellows have been kind to 
Bill, I ’ll admit that much, but it was because 
they liked him and because he won the right to 
be treated just the same as the rest of us. 

“But say — how under the sun did you get 
here?” 

“Why, we were coming up to surprise you,” 
Mr. Ainsworth replied, “but it has turned out 
to be a surprise all around. How did you hap- 
pen to strike town just the same night we 
did?” 

Then the boys told him about the hay ride, 
and, in the midst of the recital, Tad cried: 

4 ‘ Say, we were to be back at the hotel by ten 
o’clock. What time is it now?” 

Three timepieces were produced and com- 
pared. It was just a minute or two past ten. 

‘ 4 1 think you will have to let us keep our boy 
overnight, Tad,” Mr. Ainsworth said. “I left 
his mother in our room at the hotel, resting 
360 


VISITORS AT CAMP 


after our long ride, and I know she will want 
to see her hoy. ’ ’ 

“Of course,’ ’ Tad agreed. “I ’ll explain to 
the others why Bill can’t come hack with us.” 

“You can look for us at camp to-morrow 
morning, Tad, if it ’s clear,” his uncle contin- 
ued. “We ’ll come over and return the boy to 
you. ’ ’ 

“Can’t you stay to dinner?” Tad responded 
hospitably. “We always have plenty to eat, 
such as it is — good plain camp fare, you know 
— and we ’d be real glad if you would eat a meal 
with us. ’ ’ 

“Why, thank you, Tad! I ’m sure we shall 
be very happy to accept your kind invitation.” 

“I ’ll have to run along now!” Tad ex- 
claimed. “I ’m away behind time, and the 
others will think I ’m lost.” 

He sent a cordial message to his aunt, spoke 
a few hurried words of parting, then ran off 
to join the assembled party, the members of 
which were waiting for him with an impatience 
that had begun to be tinged with anxiety. 

When Tad appeared, a chorus of exclama- 
tions greeted him from the campers and their 
guests, who were seated on the hay-rigging. 
361 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


‘ ‘ Where ’s Bill ? ’ ’ Lefty cried. 

Tad halted and waved an arm in a gesture 
which he intended to appear dramatic. “Bill 
is in the bosom of his family,” he replied mys- 
teriously. 

“What?” 

“Drive along, and I ’ll tell you the full his- 
tory of the case,” Tad responded. He climbed 
upon the hay-rigging, and, as the horses 
started forward, he commenced his explanation. 

“This is a dramatic tale, entitled ‘The Un- 
expected Reunion,’ or ‘Why Bill Sleeps in the 
Hotel.’ 

“It was a calm, moonlight night. The stars 
looked down upon the quiet streets of the town. 
And the father, and the mother, and the child 
were there. 

“Down the main street of the peaceful ham- 
let, two weary wayfarers wandered. The 
lights gleamed and glittered in the store win- 
dows, revealing the expression of pleasure and 
interest in all four of their eyes — two apiece. 
And the father, and the mother, and the child 
were there. 

“Close to the curb, a large touring car was 
standing. The wayfarers paused. Their at- 
362 


VISITORS AT CAMP 


tention was attracted. Ha! How familiar it 
looked. Somehow, it seemed to carry them 
back to the days of their bright and sunny youth 
when they had traveled in such a car. The 
door of a store near by suddenly opened (here ’s 
where it gets really thrilling), and the father, 
and the mother, and the child were there. 

“A man stepped boldly forth from the store 
and approached the touring car which still stood 
by the curb. With a glad cry of surprise and 
joy, one of the wayfarers sprang forward. The 
man clasped him in his arms. 

44 4 Me chi-i-ild ! ’ he cried. 

4 4 And the father, and the mother, and the 
child were there. 

4 4 In other words, Bill ran into his father back 
there in town, and my uncle carried him off to 
the hotel to spend the night. They ’re coming 
out to-morrow morning to visit us at camp, and 
they ’ll stay to dinner.” 

4 4 Hurray!” cried the irrepressible Lefty. 
4 4 Visitors at camp! That means an extra good 
feed.” 

4 4 Well, of all things!” Tom gasped in sur- 
prise. 44 I did n’t think they were within a hun- 
dred miles of camp.” 


363 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


Then Tad had to explain how Mr. Ainsworth 
had found it possible to leave the city sooner 
than he had anticipated, and had determined 
to call at Beaver Camp with his wife, in order 
to surprise Cousin Willie. 

44 I knew that they expected to visit us at 
camp before the season ended,” Doctor Halsey 
acknowledged. 4 4 That was the reason I sug- 
gested postponing our trip to the northern end 
of the lake and to Ausable Chasm. Mr. and 
Mrs. Ainsworth expect to extend their travels 
in that direction, and I thought it would be much 
pleasanter if we all went together.” 

4 4 It would ! ’ ’ Lefty promptly declared. 4 4 Are 
we all going in the auto?” 

4 4 Hardly!” the doctor responded with a 
laugh. 4 4 We ’ll go by boat up to Port Kent, 
then by train to Ausable Chasm, returning in 
the afternoon. It ’s only a one-day trip.” 

4 4 We might hire that launch we used for our 
historical pilgrimage,” Tom suggested. 4 4 We 
can use it all day for five dollars. Then we can 
start when we want to, and come back when 
we feel like it. We won’t have to bother with 
time-tables, or go tearing along to catch a 
boat.” 


364 


VISITORS AT CAMP 


“That ’s a good idea,” Eliot remarked ap- 
provingly. “It ’ll be cheaper, too, because the 
cost to each of us will he less than if we went 
on the regular boat.” 

“You can’t judge the length of a railroad by 
the length of its name,” Mrs. Spencer observed. 
“For instance, the little line that connects 
Ausable Chasm with the lake is called The 
Keeseville, Ausable Chasm, and Lake Champ- 
lain Railroad. It has a total trackage of about 
seven miles. ’ ’ 

“ Judging by the name, you ’d suppose it ex- 
tended half-way around the equator,” Lefty 
suggested. “It isn’t safe to judge by names, 
though. Our washlady’s name is White, and 
she ’s pretty nearly as black as ink.” 

“Yes, and we know a fellow in school whose 
name is Brown, and he ’s as green as grass,” 
Stover remarked with a reminiscent chuckle. 

“We ’re nearly home now,” Jack reminded 
them. “Let ’s serenade the moon.” 

And the hay-ride reached a noisy and happy 
conclusion. 

The Beaver Campers were astir early the 
next morning, in spite of their natural incli- 
nation to linger on their comfortable cots for 
22 365 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


an extra period of rest after the excitement 
and late hours of the night previous. 

They were anxious to have everything in 
first-class order, so that the visitors might re- 
ceive a favorable impression of Beaver Camp, 
as well as of the housekeeping skill of the camp- 
ers. 

About ten o’clock, the Ainsworths arrived in 
the big touring car. Cousin Willie proudly in- 
troduced his parents to the several campers, 
including Stover and Rutledge, who had “just 
dropped in to see what they were going to have 
for dinner.” 

The guests of Beaver Camp seemed delighted 
with everything. The views were superb (for- 
tunately, the sun was shining, and all Nature 
seemed at its best). The bungalow was just an 
ideal summer home. The simple furnishings 
showed praiseworthy ingenuity, and, in fact, 
their tour of inspection taxed their combined 
supply of superlatives. 

Presently, they walked down to the beach, 
and looked out over the lake. Then Cousin 
Willie invited them to step into one of the camp 
boats, and he rowed them along shore, as far 
as Mrs. Spencer’s landing and back again, 
366 



The moonlight hay-ride of the Beaver Campers 





VISITORS AT CAMP 


much to their surprise and his own immense 
satisfaction. 

When the trio returned to Beaver Camp, din- 
ner was almost ready. The table had been 
moved out under the trees, and was prettily 
decorated with wild flowers and ferns. Some 
one had suggested borrowing a tablecloth from 
Mrs. Spencer, but Tad declared that half the 
charm of the meal would be lost if they adopted 
any of the habits of life in the city. 

It is doubtful if either Mr. or Mrs. Ainsworth 
ever had eaten a meal in more primitive style. 
They sat upon a bench at the end of a table 
made of boards and packing boxes. They ate 
from enameled ware dishes and drank from 
cups of the same plebeian material, but their 
pleasure was quite apparent, and its spontane- 
ous enthusiasm was too real to be doubted. 

The camp cooks had united their powers in 
an effort to produce a dinner which should be 
worthy of Beaver Camp. There was vegetable 
soup, fish taken from the waters near by, roast 
beef, and two kinds of vegetables, with ice 
cream and. cake for dessert, and coffee as the 
final course. 

They lingered long over the coffee, chatting 
369 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


in friendly fashion of many matters, and tell- 
ing stories of the busy, happy weeks that had 
passed during the vacation season. 

After a time, they heard the sound of wheels 
on the camp road, and presently a buggy ap- 
peared. It stopped near the bungalow, and 
a man stepped down and came toward them. 
None of the boys recognized him at first. Then 
Tom said: 

“Oh! Why, it’s Mr. Raymond, the man 
who owns Beaver Camp.’’ 

“So it is,” his brother agreed. “I wonder 
if he is going to dispossess us.” 


370 


CHAPTER XX 


THE NEW OWNER OF BEAVER CAMP 

M R. AINSWORTH quietly excused himself, 
and rose from the table. 

“I think Mr. Raymond is looking for me,” 
he said. “We are interested in some property 
in this section, and I arranged to meet him here 
this afternoon.” 

The two men walked back to the buggy, en- 
gaged meanwhile in earnest conversation. This 
continued for a short time, then Mr. Raymond 
drove otf, and the party about the dinner-table 
separated. 

The Ainsworths declined an invitation to re- 
main to supper, but promised to return in the 
evening in order that they might enjoy a real 
camp-fire with the boys. Then they left Beaver 
Camp with many hearty expressions of their 
enjoyment of the hospitality extended by the 
campers. 

In spite of the elaborate repast at mid-day, 
371 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


the boys were ready to eat a substantial supper, 
and they had to work quickly afterward, in 
order to get things cleared away and all prep- 
arations made for a big camp-fire. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ainsworth arrived just as the 
doctor was touching a match to the kindlings. 
Stover and Rutledge joined the company, too, 
a little later, so the group within the ruddy 
circle was larger than usual. 

They discussed plans for the proposed trip 
to Ausable Chasm, and made final arrangements 
for this event which would mark the end of 
their long vacation. After this, there would be 
only a few days left for packing and making 
necessary preparations for the return to the 
city. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ainsworth invited the Beaver 
Campers, including Stover and Rutledge and 
the Spencers, to take dinner with them at the 
hotel which overlooks the Chasm, and the boys 
secretly rejoiced over the prospect of what 
Lefty termed “ swell eats.” 

At ten o’clock, the Ainsworths returned to 
town, declaring that they did not propose to 
keep the boys up late on two successive nights. 

Soon all was quiet within the confines of 
372 


NEW OWNER OF BEAVER CAMP 


Beaver Camp, except for a chorus of sounds 
proceeding from the cots on the piazza of the 
bungalow. These suggested a village of saw- 
mills in active operation. 

Doctor Halsey and the Ainsworths called 
upon Mrs. Spencer and the girls on the day 
following, and invited them to pilot the party 
through Ausable Chasm, and to share the fel- 
lowship of the dinner-party. Of course, they 
were happy to accept the invitation so heartily 
given, and now there remained only the un- 
certainty of the weather to menace the complete 
enjoyment of the trip. 

Fortunately, the elements were kind, and the 
day chosen for the outing dawned clear and 
bright, with every prospect of remaining so 
for an indefinite period. 

It was a merry party that left the landing 
at Beaver Camp about nine o’clock. The little 
Rainbow was crowded to its utmost capacity, 
and it was almost a miracle that some of the 
boys did not slip into the water from the 
positions in which they were precariously 
perched. All landed safely at Port Kent, how- 
ever, in time to connect with a morning train 
for Ausable Chasm. Mrs. Spencer and the 
373 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


girls had visited this marvelous specimen of 
Nature’s handiwork on a number of former oc- 
casions, so they acted as guides, and piloted the 
party through this wonderful chasm of the 
Ausable River, from Rainbow Falls to Table 
Rock, where they embarked in boats to 4 ‘ shoot 
the rapids.” 

By the time they had passed through the 
chasm, they were quite ready for the dinner 
which was waiting for them at the hotel. It 
was more elaborate, of course, than that fur- 
nished by Beaver Camp a few days previous 
and it was served in better style, too, but per- 
haps it was not a bit more enjoyable, after 
all. 

After the last course had been served, Mr. 
Ainsworth rose and said: 

“ While we all are here together, I have an 
announcement to make which I think will in- 
terest you. 

“For some years, Mrs. Ainsworth and I 
have been promising ourselves that we would 
have a home in the country where we might 
spend a long vacation each year. We have 
looked at several places, but only recently have 
found the spot which seemed to fit into the pic- 
374 


NEW OWNER OF BEAVER CAMP 


ture which our combined imaginations had 
painted. 

4 ‘Will’s letters concerning this beautiful re- 
gion have been so enthusiastic that we felt in- 
clined to investigate it carefully with the idea 
of buying a place somewhere in this locality. 

“We have been charmed with the beauty of 
the scenery, and with the other attractive fea- 
tures which are so well known to you that I 
need not take time to enumerate them. For- 
tunately, we have discovered a place for sale 
that just suits us. It has long been the prop- 
erty of Mr. Raymond, and, this summer, has 
been known as Beaver Camp. 

“It is not our idea to live alone — not by any 
means! Will would be restless and unhappy, 
and we should feel a bit lonesome ourselves. 
We shall expect to see the Beaver Campers 
year after year, as long as they find it possi- 
ble to come, and it may be that they will feel 
disposed to seek others who need this kind of 
life as our boy did. 

“We hope they will. Mrs. Ainsworth and 
I would feel very deeply pleased if we could 
know that we had a share in building up some 
boy as our boy has been built up during the 
375 


THE TOWNSEND TWINS 


weeks past — not only in physical strength, but 
in all that makes for manhood of the finest 
type. 

“So Beaver Camp is going right on, and 
Mrs. Ainsworth and I expect to be Beaver 
Campers next year. ,; 

Then there was a vigorous demonstration 
of delight, and a buzz of excited conversation. 
After a few moments, Tad rose and lifted a 
glass of water : 

“Here ’s to Cousin Willie,” he said, “who, 
in one season, has been transformed into Bill. 
May we always have as good results during the 
years ahead / y 

And the others, springing to their feet, en- 
thusiastically endorsed this sentiment. 


THE END 


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